


Inveniens Domum

by LandOfBreathAndDeath



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: All Bets Are Off, Also Im not exactly sure about Rey's mother, F/M, Gen, Keeping up with the Skywalkers, M/M, Multi, Then, and her relationship with luke, and now im planning it out in multiple chapters?, but once i get back to school, don't expect regular updates, everything happened so fast, idk how long this will be, im currently on spring break, listen, so i sort of vagued her, this was just going to be a oneshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-06
Updated: 2016-06-27
Packaged: 2018-05-25 00:58:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 26,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6173782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LandOfBreathAndDeath/pseuds/LandOfBreathAndDeath
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Are you going to let your tragedies define you, or are you going to rise up and make a difference?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

She could not believe her eyes. One glimpse at this man, and she knew. Her memories rushed back to her as the force swells. Her father, running away with her as the jedi temples burn once more. She remembered his hands cupping her face and the force shoving down her memories of playing, romping in the fields with Ben, her mother braiding her hair, Aunt Leia showing her how to build up her mental walls, and then the day Ben fell.

“Father.” She murmured.

“Rey. How did you find me? Is that the falcon?” He asked, his eyes flickering down the path she just climbed.

“Your droid finally woke up.” Images of B- Kylo- trying to kill her flashed in her mind.

“He wanted to tea-“

“I really don’t want to talk about that right now. I want to talk about a lot of things first before we get to Kylo. Like _why_?” She whispered, feeling the tears building in her eyes. “Why did you leave me alone there? I waited for so long. Years.”

“I had to. You were in danger. If Ben had found me, he would have kidnapped and tortured you. I did it because I couldn’t see to bear you in pain. But now I see that’s all for nothing. You still suffered. Rey, you have my deepest apologies. I know I can’t ask for your immediate forgiveness. If you’ll let me train you, then _maybe_ you can start to forgive me.” He murmured.

She does not want to. She wanted to scream and fight him and make him feel the pain she experienced for years but that is what Kylo ren and the dark side wants. She knew the Skywalker legacy, the legends and myths that surround her family and now she understood. She understood how easily her grandfather fell from the light and how he struggled to climb back up because she can feel the hatred that her grandfather felt coursing through her body, the same force that had created her and her father and her aunt, had created Darth Vader, and before him, Anakin.

_You can be angry, but do not let your anger define you. You see what I did._  
Rey stopped. The voice is similar to Luke’s. He sighed, leaning against the rock.

“Rey, you’ve heard of Anakin Skywalker.”

Rey turned to her father, then spun around in circle looking for Anakin. She’s strong in the force, both Luke and Anakin can sense this. However, she’s not yet strong enough to see the ghosts of the Jedi.

_Your father did a lot better than I did with him. He spent as much time with you as he could. Being lonely has always been one of the million curses our family has. You’re angry. I get that. I let anger define me for 20 plus years. I nearly killed Luke, Leia too, and nearly ruined the whole galaxy. This does not mean I am excusing my own actions, or Luke’s. Do or do not, there is no try._

Luke laughed, running his robotic hand through his hair. “Those aren’t his words. Yoda said that to me during my training. You’ll meet Yoda in time. Will you let me teach you?”

She nodded her head before she could stop herself.

 

The training is hard.

She went to bed each day, tired and achy. Every morning, at 0600 standard hours, he woke her up and they would eat a small breakfast. It was usually some seafood and nuts with occasional greens thrown in. Luke seemed to be looking younger and younger with each passing day, but she knew that he’s just happier that someone is there. They have yet to broach the topic of their relations. Somehow, it’s easier to pretend that they weren’t related and that they didn’t see each other for nearly 15 years.

“We’re mediating today.”

“All day?”

“Yeah,” His spoon scraped against his dish.

She sighed, pushing her food away. Luke looked up at her, his eyebrows furrowing together.

“Rey, now’s a good of time as any to speak about what happened. I can feel your confusion, and the hatred as well. I will tell you what I did, and why. Then today you can… sort through it.”

Rey doesn’t speak. She knew she couldn’t hide her feelings from her master forever, as much as she would have like to.

“I knew you until you were five. It was back on Naboo. Where your grandmother met your grandfather. I figured that was the best place to start the training. Where Anakin and Padme were happy. We built a couple temples and a house for your mother and I. Han and Leia had Ben soon after everything was up and running. I began training Ben, and soon I was sending Han off to find other force sensitive children. Leia hated me for it, but remnants of the empire still existed. I didn’t want them falling to the dark side. I read hundreds of Jedi books, pouring over each and every single one. Finally, your mother had enough one day. She jumped on me, knocking the books from my hand. I had been so absorbed in trying to find where the Jedi went wrong that I had nearly forgotten my wife.

“We spent a year together after that. I sent the children that were from off world home to be with their parents. 9 months later, you arrived. You were so tiny, so small and already I could tell that you were powerful. The light, the good in you gave me hope for the future of the Jedi Order; it still does. Your mother began to go find new force sensitive children, seeing as Han got back into the smuggling business,” He scoffs, shaking his shaggy hair. “I worked on raising you on Naboo. Ben and Leia helped me out. You were a quiet baby, though. Never did fuss much. Except when Ben would enter the room. In hindsight, I should have paid attention to that. I was there when you first spoke, first walked, and first used the force. Although, you were a bit destructive the first time.” He laughs, his eyes glittering.

“I’ll unblock those memories, if you wish to recall what the temples were like. They were huge, spiraling towers. One of the spirals on the towers was glass. You could see Naboo and the lakes that housed the Gungan ruins. My mother’s castle was still standing, so we taught basic skills in there. Your mother visited us often, coming to see you as many times as she could. I told her that she didn’t need to work as hard as she was working, but she was not having it. She believed in the cause. Sometimes, I thought she believed in it too much. One day, she visited us. She put up your hair, took for you for a ride, let you help her tinker with her ship. Then she came home with you, and we had a normal meal like a normal family. I thought she was just going to stay for good. She failed to tell me that Mercenaries had been after her. The First Order was just beginning to rise and they had already attacked a few of our ships, but we just believed they were mercs at the time. I remember the day she left. The sun had set, and you were very cranky. I heard you cry more that day than any other day of your life,” He leans back in his chair and she knows that the hard part is just beginning. “I had to use the force to get you off of your mother. You just kept crying and crying. Your mother took off and had a successful flight to Dantooine. She was shot down on her way back.

“Then Ben became quiet. He missed more sessions and training. Leia lost track of him a couple times. At the time, we just pinned it on typical teenage rebellion. We – I- had no idea he was talking to Snoke. No idea that the first order was growing as fast as it was. I found him in the room where I had my father’s helmet. That was the first sign – to me at least- that I was losing him. The knights of ren showed up not long after that. I had Artoo take you to my fighter. I tried saving as many students as I could… but they were all so young and so untrained. Leia fled, and I ran. Once we got off Naboo, I had Artoo punch in random coordinates. The whole hyperspace jump, I thought of different things I could do. I could live in Exile with you. I could have sent you to live with Leia. I could have found Han and sent you to him. Every scenario I thought of, if you didn’t die, someone else would. I finally decided that the safest spot for you was on an unknown planet without me. You had no idea how _destroyed_ I was after I left you. It wasn’t until I felt you awaken in the force did I begin to feel like myself again.”

Rey was quiet. “I think I’d like to start meditation now.” She finally spoke.

They both get up to clear their plates. Where before there was an understanding silence, now there was tension. It began building and building and the walls that Rey had kept so carefully constructed, built so high to keep so many people out, that she took down when she found her father again were going back up. Luke took the plate from Rey’s shaking hand.

“Go.” He spoke softly.

Then she began running.

Rey wasn’t sure how long she ran for. Her thighs burned with the exertion, and the bottoms of her feet pulsed with pain. Luke’s house turns into a dot on the horizon behind her, then it’s gone completely. She never went this far out before. Finally she reached the edge of this island, and she planted her feet at the very edge. Rey sat down, crossing her legs.

She closed her eyes and began her meditation.

The ocean is thundered below her and the wind was whipping loose strands of hair in her face but she didn’t move them. Ahch-to spiraled away from her. Instead of ocean waves crashing and moving beneath her, sand dunes began to roll and drift. But these were not the dunes she was left in. This sand is redder, thicker. There are two suns that loom over her that cast a brown and a black shadow in the red dunes.

“I was furious when I found out where Luke had sent you. Then I was also proud of him.” A deep voice scoffed.

Rey turned and had to bite back her reaction. The man standing in front of her has Luke’s smile, and his eyes. This man had be her grandfather, Anakin. He had a scar on face that travels down from above his brow to below his eye. He had both hands, even though she had been told he lost one in a battle.

“I don’t like sand. I hate it. It gets everywhere. But Jakku… that’s an even worse kind of sand. You know, it’s so fi-”

“Grandfather, not that this isn’t the most stimulating conversation,” Rey interrupted. “But why am I here? Where are we? What did you mean about my dad?”

Anakin smiled, gesturing to the planet around them. “This is where it all started. I was born here on Tatooine to my mother, your great grandmother, Shmi. She was incredible, Rey. Strong, smart, she knew that family came first. When Master Qui-gon found me, I was only a small boy. We basically pod-raced for my freedom. When it came down to collecting, my mother decided that I would benefit more from the freedom. I joined the Jedi order and then… Well, you know the rest. What you don’t know, is why I was mad at your dad. You would think that being raised on a desert planet would be enough to deter him from raising his own younglings on a planet. But, since the situation went down the way it did…. He had no other choice. So tell me Rey. Three powerful Jedi have what in common?”

“I’m assuming the answer is sand.”

“Yep.”

“So…?”

“So. So, Rey. This is the question you need to ask yourself. You, your father, and I were all raised in the dunes. Out where the sways of rebellions and orders did not reach us. I lost my mother, Luke lost his aunt and uncle, and you, and you were separated from a loving family because a cousin thought he was following the right path. Are you going to let your tragedies define you, or are you going to rise up and make a difference?”

Rey watched him, her lips pursed in thought.

“If you fell and Ben fell, what’s to stop me from falling?” She asked.

“You. Your father. Finn and Poe and Chewie and everyone who you’ve met so far in your journey. Rely on your friends, Rey. They will guide you to the right path. The force is a tool to help you on your journey.” Anakin smiles, clapping Rey on the back. “Go look for my old Padawan, Ahsoka Tano. Rey, it was nice officially meeting you. You look so much like Padme.” His voice is wistful.

“Thank you. Grandpa…” she tried the word out. “That still sounds odd. I’ll look for Ahsoka. This is starting to feel like all I’m meant to do is find Jedi.” She laughed.

The vision blurred and Rey left the sands of Tatooine. She came to, perching precariously on the ledge that overlooks the roaring seas. Ahsoka Tano’s name rang in her mind.

What better way to save Ben than to find the padawan of Anakin Skywalker himself?


	2. Chapter 2

Rey headed back to the hermitage. Her thighs and calves were tight with the pain of her earlier sprint to meditation. The light that the setting of the sun had left behind was being chased by the bright shine of the moon. Rey’s thoughts were still on Tatooine. She just could not understand how someone like Anakin could have fallen to the dark side. She had heard of the legends. That Anakin did it all for Padme, that Obi-Wan had actually forced him to the dark side, that Darth Sidious had been inside Ani’s mind since he was found on the desert planet. Rey had no idea what to believe. Her mind flickered briefly to what Luke –her father- told her earlier. Why he had left her.

It hurt. All important things will eventually cause someone pain. But she knew that the only way she would overcome the hurt of being left behind, the pain of being abandoned was if she gave her father a chance. She sighed as the hut comes into view. One chance was all someone needs to make a difference. If Luke could give his mass murdering asthmatic absentee father a chance, then maybe she could do the same for Luke. Rey pulled the curtain to the side as she entered the residence, and found Luke hunched over as a hologram of Leia yelled at him.

“…Disappearing for YEARS. Luke! What were you thinking? We needed you more than ever and you weren’t there! Han and I searched for you nonstop. Meanwhile, Ben is off killing himself and people looking for you. I can’t reach my son, I can’t reach you, and I couldn’t reach Han. I was so alone Luke. You _must_ have felt it.”

“I felt it all.” He murmured.

“Then _why_ didn’t you return?”

“Rey,” Luke got to his feet, his face pale as he turned to her. Leia’s tired eyes turned to her as well.

“Master, General Organa,” She nodded, a smile on her face as she acknowledged Leia.

“Rey, it’s so good to see you. Your friend Finn woke up just this morning.”

“He did?!”

“Yeah,” She laughed. “Poe is taking care of him as we speak. He asked for you. Finn was quite disappointed when he found out you left.”

“Tell him I say hi and I miss him. I’ll leave you two.” Rey stepped out of the main area, heading to her bedroom. She crawled into the uncomfortable cot, closing her eyes as Luke and Leia resume their conversation. In all honesty, she wanted to return to D’qar. She missed her friends. But she knew that training came before anything else. She began to drift and soon Rey was in a dark, dreamless sleep.

Luke went quiet.

“She looks so much like her mother,”

“I know. She has your eyes though.”

“I’m afraid for her, Leia. I’m scared she’ll turn like Ben did. Father’s presence is strong here. Not Vader, Anakin. He’s nearly as strong as he was when he began talking to Ben.”

“Your worry is going to drive her away. Be honest with her. Tell her the truth about all of it, Luke. That’s the best you can do. Tell her the stories that we know. The truths that we experienced and teach her the ways of the Jedi. What you learned before and after the massacre on Naboo. Luke, look at me.”

Luke looked back to Leia, his face grim.

“Teach her, then come home. We need you.”

 

Rey found Luke sitting in the same spot she left him last night. She made some hot coffee, setting the steaming mug in front of his glazed eyes.

“Master. Master. Luke. Father,”

He blinked, looking up at her. “Is it morning already?”

“Yeah.”

“Geez. Thank you, Rey. How did you meditation go yesterday?”

“Fine. Talked to Anakin for a little while. I think I know how to bring Ben back.”

“Oh?” Luke paused.

“Grandfather’s old padawan, Ahsoka Tano. She knew him just as well as grandmother did. If we can find her, if she’s still alive, then maybe she can finally help Ben escape Snoke’s grip on her. Have you heard of her?”

“In the archives. Ahsoka left the Jedi order. She was falsely accused of murdering a suspect in a bombing and she was expelled from the Jedi order so she could be prosecuted in the Republic courts. Anakin found evidence that it was in fact another rogue Jedi, and not her. But the betrayal she felt after all of it, well, it was enough to make her want to leave. It was probably the best thing she could have done. About a year after she left, that was when Vader came into existence. During the war against the empire and the rebellion, she seemed to vanish. I heard rumors that she had gone back to the old Jedi temples on Coruscant and that she had also come here. But when I arrived here, there was nothing.”

Rey pursed her lips together, looking just like her father does when he thinks.

“We need to find her.” She decided after a beat. Rey’s eyes lit up as she looked at her father.

“You’re not done with your training.”

“You were trained on the Falcon. That’s what we’ll do.”

Luke laughed. “That was during a war.”

“Isn’t that what we’re in?”

Two weeks later, the Falcon zoomed back into the clearing. Luke was wearing his grey robe, and Rey stood by his side as the gangway lowered to the ground. Huge white clouds blot out the sun for a moment and by the time it returned, Rey grinned.

Poe, Finn, Chewie, Beebee-ate, Artoo, and Chewie all walked down the ramp. Finn and Rey rushed to each other, laughing as they collide in a fierce hug. Luke smiled as he goes to greet his old friends. He disappeared into the big furry arms of Chewie. Poe looked down at Beebee Ate as she beeped.

“Rey!” Finn laughed, finally pulling back to look at her.

Rey grinned, then sobered up. She can see the tip of the scar Kylo ren left on her friend.

“I was so afraid, Finn. I nearly killed him.” She whispered. Poe walked over to stand by Finn’s side.

“Well that’s not the Jedi way.” Poe chuckled.

“No, it’s not. I knew I had to get Finn to the med bay though. I was so worried about you. When Leia told me you woke up….”

“You can ask Poe; you were the first person I wanted to see once I could talk,” Finn leaned towards Poe, which didn’t go unnoticed by Rey. “Then Poe and I started training again. As soon as I could stand, I was back learning how resistance fighters fight. When General Organa said she needed a crew to pick you up- “

“You volunteered.” This amazed Rey. Here were people that came back for her, that wanted to help her. Her friends.

“We better get going.” Luke said, finally free of the Wookie hug.

“He’s right. No doubt the first order is looking for the Falcon. She’s a helluva ship but Chewie told us that you were his co-pilot.” Poe looked to the sky, as if the first order was arriving.

They all filed onto the familiar white ship. Rey had forgotten how much she loved this old freighter. All of Han’s work, all of his love and his life were in this ship. Rey sat in Han’s old seat as Chewie settled in next to her. They didn’t need to say anything. They had their mission and the tools they needed to achieve it. Rey punched in some coordinates as they left Ahch-to’s atmosphere. She was almost going to miss the glittering seas and the green hills that she lived in for the past few months. But so many other worlds awaited them just outside this solar system that she really didn’t mind to leave it.

The whole jump through hyperspace, Rey stayed in the pilot’s seat. Chewie and Luke were talking softly in the back. Rey didn’t even notice when Beebee-Ate rolled up alongside her. She beeped.

“Hello, you.” Rey murmured, a bit startled. “I didn’t hear you come up here. How’s your buddy Artoo?”

Beebee beeped, then rolled to Rey’s feet.

“I’m glad to hear it. Yes, I missed you too. Have you been keeping Poe and Finn on their toes?” She smiles.

“She has.” Poe slid into the seat next to her.

Rey grinned as she patted the droid’s head. “Good. How’ve you been?”

“Been better. General Organa hasn’t been the same since she lost Han. She’s still got that fire – but something is telling me it’s starting to fizzle out. We’ve been watching the first order’s movements. Since Starkiller blew up, they’ve been quiet. That makes me worried. Either they’re planning on building something else, or they already have and they’re waiting for the right moment. Finn’s been helpful, telling us about stormtrooper training and how to counteract what they were…. Conditioned.”

“The galaxy would have to burn in order for Leia to give up.” Luke spoke, looking down at Poe and Rey. He had walked in while they were discussing Leia.

“She saw her planet get blown up by the first death star and it didn’t break her. She’ll hurt for a little while but she’ll always come back guns blazing.”

Rey smiled. She sensed that much. Especially from her family. Chewie moaned from the doorway.

“Chewie says it’s time to drop out of hyperspace. Poe,” Luke moved out the way and Poe followed, leaving Rey and Chewie in charge.

Chewie moaned.

“I miss him too, Chewbacca.”

They dropped out in Coruscant’s orbit. The once vibrant, bustling capital of the republic was now dark and dormant, abandoned after the fall of the Galactic Republic. The Falcon dropped down through the atmosphere as they made their final descent. For miles and miles below them the dead planet stretched, the towers falling like crumbling bones. They land on the steps of the Jedi Complex, where broken artillery from the clone wars line the path to the temple. Rey exited first, looking around at the destruction. Her family, her grandfather caused all this.

“In all my years, I’ve never come to this planet.”

Rey turned to her father, her face grim. “I don’t blame you. The dark side is so powerful here.” The cold slithered around them all, chilling them to their very bones. Finn shuddered, taking in the destruction.

The collection of humans, wookies, and droids headed up the old Jedi Temple steps. The only sounds besides their soft footfalls is the whispering of wind through broken windows and falling buildings. It’s almost hard to imagine that this place was once the center of the republic. Rey tried to imagine the streets filled with podracers and speeders and freighters, their engines whining through the travel lanes established above and below the city lines. The ghosts of the Jedi that once walked these steps are walking with them. They don’t speak, only watch. The Jedi ghosts have only communicated with one other since the fall of the empire.

They don’t speak. They only watch.

The last person who visited this temple cleared the bones off of the main hallways. It was oddly clean for being in a place where everything is broken. Not just the republic, but the force and the Jedi as well. Rey swallowed as they found a working elevator to the council chambers.

“Ladies first?” Finn laughed nervously.

“That would still be you.” Rey managed a smile before heading into the elevator. Luke, Chewie, and Beebee-Ate all stayed behind.

“I’m not sure that the elevator will support all of us. You four go on ahead. The dark side is strong here, but there’s a reason why the Jedi chose this place for their complex.” Luke looked pointedly at Rey.

Once Artoo was in the elevator, they went up. The old circuits rattled and shrieked as they made their way to the top. Looking out the window, they saw hanging wires and the metal skeleton of the city-planet.

“Luke said there were once tens of thousands of Jedi.”

“I heard there were hundreds of thousands. Can you imagine?”

“They kept the peace. The republic needed them and they responded.”

“They almost sound like cops.” Poe laughed. Finn and Rey whipped their heads to stare at him.

“They were peace-keepers.” Rey snapped.

“Listen, Rey, I’m not saying the Jedi were shitty. They had good intentions. But war changes a lot of things, people included. It can force them to be something they told themselves they were never going to be.”

Finn leaned towards Poe. Rey realized with a start that Finn… liked Poe. The elevator screamed its way to a halt.

“I guess we’re here.” Finn swallowed and Artoo began screaming.

All three humans stared down at the Astromech, each equally perplexed as the other. Artoo wheeled himself out still screaming into the council chambers. He wheeled into the exact middle, his flashlight pointing to the youngling bones surrounding the chairs. This is where Vader was born. The dark side pulsed in the room like a black heart, the veins of it throbbing heavily.

“Artoo…?” Rey asked, approaching the droid carefully.

Artoo whined.

“You’ve been here? In this-“

The astromech projected images of long dead Jedi into their chairs. There was the infamous Master Yoda, Mace Windu, Plo Koon, and countless other Jedi masters. Rey went quiet. Anakin and Obi-wan Kenobi stepped into the middle, giving a report about a successful battle. Then Anakin gestured to somebody off screen. Moments later, a Togruta walked into the hologram. She was young, that much was obvious. She told her own version of the story, waving her hands as if they were fighters. Then the hologram flickered off.

“That was Ahsoka.” Rey gasped.

The droid beeped affirmatively.

“Artoo, you knew her?” Rey got down to Artoo’s level, her excitement rising. Artoo beeped again.

“Do you know where she went? Where she might have gone?”

Another long series of beeps. Finn and Poe started walking around the room to take it all in.

“Yo- She was active during the rebellion? Do you know what happened to her?”

Finn bent down to examine something.

Artoo whirred.

“Take your time Artoo. I know you’ve been out of action for a while.” Rey sighed, looking over as Finn picked something up.

Suddenly, three warriors dropped from the ceiling, wielding dual end light sabers. They were quick. Before Rey was aware of what is happening, Finn and Poe were slammed to the ground, lightsabers at their necks.

“Identification.” One warrior barked as he rushed Rey. She turned on her own lightsaber as she tried not to run.

“Rey….uh- S-Skywalker?”

This was apparently the wrong thing to say. The warrior slammed her to the ground.

“What – is – your – name?”

“Rey! Rey Skywalker! Please don’t hurt my friends.”

“I haven’t heard that name in nearly 60 years. That name means destruction. Skywalker.” The guard spit. “Massacred the younglings. Killed Mace Windu. Killed Obi-wan. Killed countless other masters. Skywalker killed the Jedi, whom we are sworn to protect. Now it is our job to stop the Skywalker line.” The guard twirled its lightsaber.

“No – no Stop! I am not my grandfather! I know what Vader did was horrible! There is no excusing it but I am trying to right his wrongs like my father before me has done! Please!” Rey snapped, glaring up at the masked face.

“I am _trying_ to bring back the Jedi order. Luke Skywalker tried to bring it back but his training was incomplete, like mine is. We want to restore the Jedi. _Not_ eliminate it.” Rey tightened her grip on her saber as two of the guards hesitated.

“I promise we will leave this complex as soon as we find the answer we need.”

“What is it you seek?” The guard asked, her voice suddenly lacking the bravado it had just moments ago.

“Ahsoka Tano. We need to find her location.”

The guard whipped her head up. “The archives. Go nowhere else. You must run now. The boy, the traitor, he is here.”

“The what?”

“Go!” The warrior snapped as the other two backed away from her boys.

Then they were running. Artoo tried the elevator, but it was not responding. The trio rushed to a stairwell. They tried their best to ignore just how many flights they could see. Finn grabbed Poe’s hand as they began to descend. The roar of tie fighters echoed across the barren cityscape of Coruscant.

“How did they find us!?” Poe yelled.

“I don’t ask questions. Just run!” Finn snapped. 

Artoo used his jets to follow the trio down the steps as they ran and ran and ran. Rey yelled as she spotted a missing flight of steps.

“Finn, POE; STOP!” She screamed as she used the force to pull them back onto the steps. This miniscule use of the force exhausted her. The boys turned to her with wide eyes.

“You’ll have to jump!” She joined them. Rey took a few steps back. She planted her feet and then broke into a sprint. At the very last step, she leapt. Rey seemed to soar across the gap, but the gracefulness ended there. She crashed, tumbling down the next flight. Both Poe and Finn panic, then quickly followed her lead. They landed much more gracefully than she did.

“Rey?” Finn bounded down the steps to find her sitting on the next landing, clutching her arm.

“I think I broke it. But that’s not important! If Kylo is here then that means Luke is in danger. We ha- wait.” She winced then she closed her eyes.

“Is she meditating right now?” Poe pointed at her accusingly.

“Poe, shut up. Let her do the force thing.”

Rey reached out. She pushed down her mental barriers and plowed through her own physical pain. She had to warn her father.

_Master. You need to run._

“Rey?” Luke looked to Chewie, fear in his eyes.

_Kylo Ren is here. I ran into some old temple guardians. I think I know where we can find Ahsoka but you need to leave. Go. We’ll be okay._

“I can’t. I can’t leave you behind again.”

_I swear that I will come back, dad. But go!_

Luke winced from the power in her words. He nudged Beebee-Ate with his foot and Chewie moaned, following after them.

“I don’t like it either. But… there’s just too much at stake for us to stay and wait.”

Once more, Luke Skywalker was running.


	3. Chapter 3

Finn ripped his shirt, making a sling for Rey’s arm. The screaming TIE fighters raced closer, no doubt scanning for life forms. They quickly tied the sling and got moving once more. Poe glanced up through the broken walls, seeing the Millennium Falcon zoom back into the sky. They were left on Coruscant.

“I told them to go.” Rey panted as they find an open doorway. “We can’t let Kylo Ren find Luke. There’s bound to be enough parts for a spaceship on this junkpile. We’ll survive.”

Poe didn’t say anything, he wasn’t convinced.

They walked through a vast hall. The support beams still stand even though chunks of ceiling were crumbling down. The ghosts still walked with them. Rey could feel Mace Windu. She saw flickers of purple at the edge of her vision no matter which way she turned. He was curious about her, and also afraid.

“I haven’t felt like this since I met Kylo Ren.” Finn spoke, his quiet voice echoing into the alcoves above them. “I’m so cold.”

“Focus on the positive. Can you feel it Finn? We would have been brought here before the empire. Trained by the Jedi masters. Even now they’re here, guiding us.” Rey smiled, looking over at her friend.

“Th- They’re here? Who, the jedi?”

“Can’t you feel them?”

“All I can feel right now is the cold.”

“Give it a while.” Rey murmured encouragingly as they climb over a fallen column.

They reached a looming rotunda, held up by four wideset steel columns. The ghosts abandoned them, whispering as they fled. Rey glanced around realizing that she hasn’t heard TIE fighters in a very long time. They hurried on, hoping that the fighters landed on the other side of the planet. They still needed to find the archives, access them, find an intact shuttle, and get off world before the First Order found them.

So everything was going great.

“It’s been awfully quiet outside.” Poe noted.

Rey looked down as Artoo veered to the right, heading down the hallway.

“Are the archives that way?”

He beeped.

They followed the droid down another hallway. There were less bones in this part of the complex than anywhere else they had been. Rey hoped that this part of the temple did not witness the massacre but her senses were telling her something else.

They were telling her that someone was already there.

Artoo leads them through one more doorway, which then lead them to a closed set of blast doors.

“Artoo, open it.” Rey whispered.

The clanking of heavy boots started to echo through the chambers. Rey reached for her lightsaber as Finn and Poe both grabbed for their blasters. Artoo plugged into the access point, whirring as he tried thousands of codes in nanoseconds. First he cycled through known resistance codes, then beeped as he switched to rebellion. None of those codes worked. Artoo shuddered, reaching deep into his memory to pull up Jedi codes. Three codes in and the blast doors opened. Rey yelped with excitement, patting the droid on the head as they rushed in. Once they’re in, Artoo slammed the doors shut again. They rushed through the archives, the fallen bookcases and databanks blurring as they ran. They finally reached a room filled with holo-screens and tables. Finn and Poe immediately set to work, stacking tables in doorways as Rey began to access a holo-screen.

“I’m looking for information on Ahsoka Tano.” She prompted the voice command.

The computer whirred to life, and immediately responded in an alien language. Rey groaned.

“Artoo, I need you to help me on this.” She asked. Artoo beeped, rolling over and plugging in. Artoo skipped over the files he already downloaded before the 1st rebellion, scanning the ones that he missed. He found the section on the Jedi and their padawan learners. Rey watched as his optic center flickered to the floor. Artoo hummed mournfully as he accessed Anakin Skywalker and his ex-padawan learner, Ahsoka Tano. He downloaded it all.

“We better hurry it up. It sounds like we’re about to have some company!” Poe called as the landing of boots grew ever closer.

“I think he’s almost done.”

Artoo beeped as he pulled himself from the access point.

“And?” Rey prompted.

Artoo beeped and whirred, then screamed as a few blaster shots broke through the table barricade.

“Talk while we run.” Finn shouted and then they were off.

The trio was sprinting as fast as they could. Artoo was beeping what he learned as they raced through the complex, heading for the entrance they came through. There were TIE fighters parked outside, with armed guards and probably one pissed off cousin of Rey’s. They didn’t care. They just had to get away from the Stormtroopers that had been apparently given the order to shoot to kill.

“He said that Ahsoka was last spotted on Dantooine. That’s where we need to go. But first,” Rey cussed as a red blast impacted above them. “We’ve got to worry about our guests!”

“Dantooine? That planet was sucked in a singularity.” Poe told them as they dove into another bone ridden hallway.

“Shh!” Finn shushed them, pulling them into an old bedroom. They all went quiet. Rey turned off Artoo, apologizing softly.

Reconditioned imperial probes hummed by, scanning the abandoned rooms for signs of life. They quieted, hoping that their breathing isn’t too loud. Rey closed her eyes. The Force responded to her question, covering them in the cold emptiness that surrounded the rest of the temple. Mace Windu was with them again. His hand rested on Rey’s shoulder, strengthening her connection through the force. Soon, Mace wasn’t the only one. Plo Koon joined them. Then other masters were there. The force grew and grew so much around the troupe that it shorted out the probes. They clattered to the floor. Rey opened her eyes.

Suddenly, hundreds of ghosts surrounded them. She gasped. Master Windu stood in front of her, his brown eyes filled with determination.

“You disobeyed the guardians’ orders. I see you have your grandfather’s stubbornness.”

“We are running from the first order. If we went out the way we came in, we would’ve died.” 

“You’re correct about the dangers outside. You will restore what your grandfather destroyed. But you need to get off this planet. Go to the Naboo Consulate on level 14. You’ll find a ship there. Hurry. If you delay any longer you all will be in grave danger.”

“Thank you, Master Windu.” Rey bowed as the Jedi Order vanished from her vision. Although they were no longer visible, their presence was stronger than ever. Rey turned to her friends.

“It’s time for us to go.” She whispered as she led the way out of room.

The boys followed after her. They raced through the lower levels of the temple. The deeper they went, the less powerful the dark side seemed to be. Rey turned a corner into a room filled with Temple Guardians. Rey nodded to them a silent thanks as they raced through. The guards were sworn to protect the Jedi order, and right now, Finn and Rey were all that was left of it. The guards thundered down the path they just came from.

Finn’s legs felt white-hot from exertion by the time they came out of the temple. The sun was setting, which meant that they only had an hour to go down 14 levels. Rey hoped the force would help her find a working elevator. Instead, it lead them to a jet-train line that curved down and down, seemingly for standard miles.

They jumped onto the dark train. Rey closed the doors and touched into the force once more. The train groaned as it was forced down the descending track. Poe cocked his blaster as three storm troopers appeared at the station they just left.

“Aim for their communicators!” Poe aimed his blaster at the storm trooper’s arm, and blew the arm off.

“Shit,” He cussed as Finn neatly shot off the communicator, leaving the other two storm troopers arms intact. Poe grinned.

“S’okay. He didn’t need that arm anyway.” Poe clapped Finn on the back as the train picked up momentum.

“So, Rey. Wanna tell us where we’re going?”

“To get a ship. If Dantooine doesn’t exist anymore, then we have to look elsewhere. Artoo found some information about Ahsoka and where she’s from. We can always start at her home world. Master Windu said that the Naboo consulate probably has ships.”

“Vader wouldn’t have pillaged the Naboo Consulate because of Padme!” Poe grinned.

“Exactly.”

“So there should be a ship. Do we know the planet?” Finn asked as he glanced up at the passing platforms.

“Artoo does. All we need to do is have him link with the navi-computer and we’ll be republic gold.” She closed her eyes, her arms flexing as she brought the train into a some-what controlled stop.

They disembarked just in time. The car they were in promptly fell from the rail, plummeting to the lower levels with thunderous clangs until it dropped into obscurity. Rey and the boys raced into the alleys, finally slowing to a walk. It was pitch black. Not even the emergency lights were on. She turned on her saber for a light, and although the blue light wasn’t bright enough, it was enough to get them through the underbelly of Coruscant.

They stayed quiet, out of fear that more imperial probes would float down their way. Artoo was leading the way now, the old path from the Jedi Complex to the Naboo consulate seared into his memory from the many times he went down there with Ani. He led them to the service entrance, easily unlocking the door. They all rushed in.

The consulate is the best preserved part of the planet that they’ve seen. Long dead droids laid scattered on the floor, covered by thick layers of dust. Rey reached for her face cover, only to find that she wasn’t wearing it. She had left it on Jakku with the rest of her past. She rubbed her arm self-consciously as they continued one. Images of old Nabooian senators were hung on the walls, showing Queens in full regalia and senators with chins proudly raised. Rey could feel the lack of the force here. There was neither good nor bad here, only… nothing.

“I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

Rey looked back at Poe. She does too, but he doesn’t need to vocalize it. Finn tightened his grip on his blaster, the movement clinking loudly in the dead building. They finally reached the upper levels, and that’s when they see just how many TIE fighters were parked outside of the Jedi complex.

“They must really want us dead.” Poe sighed.

“That’s Phasma’s ship.” Finn whispered grabbing Rey and Poe. “We need to hurry. Phasma is the best at… everything.”

Rey didn’t need to hear anymore. They rushed to the hangar and Rey nearly fainted.

A chromium plated J-type 327 Nubian royal starship was seated in the middle of the room. It was covered in a thick layer of dust, just as everything else was in the hangar. Rey leapt on the ship and Poe followed. They were both shaking with excitement as they brushed the dust off of the old yacht.

“I heard that the hyperdrive on these things is faster than most of the newer Nubians!” Poe gushed.

“Their shields are mind boggingly strong too!” Rey fired back, her eyes as bright.

Finn stared up at them as the pair brushed the ship off, then slid down. Rey smacked a panel and a loading dock dropped from the ship. They rushed on in the blink of an eye. Rey and Poe fought for a little bit over the pilot seat, throwing elbows and a few fists before Finn grabbed Rey.

“Poe Dameron is the best pilot in the resistance. We should let him do his magic.”

Rey sulked, shoving Finn off as she headed for the back of the ship. She peeked up, spotting Poe Dameron, Captain seat thief, punching in coordinates and adjusting settings. She settled as Finn rushed back to man the measly blasters that were retrofitted into the ship’s hull.

“Poe Dameron stole my seat,” Rey hissed under her breath. “Are you sure you can get us through all those fighters? They probably have gunships as well. You better be one hell of a pilot.” 

Poe laughed. “Trust me, I’m gonna fly this baby like she’s- ”

“Incoming!” Finn shouted from his seat. “We got company!”

Blaster fire ricocheted off of the ship’s hull as Poe boosted the shields. Rey rushed back to her spot, quickly strapping in. Finn shouted as he fired off the first round of blaster fire, knocking the first wave of troopers to the ground. Poe managed to get the ship airborne with a very unsettling roar from the engines. As they rose a few TIE fighters screamed to life, soon matching their ascent. Rey bit her lip as Finn fired the measly blasters at the fighters. The shots bounced harmlessly off of the TIE fighter’s shields. Poe groaned as he opens up the engines and then, Rey realized too late, he’s going hyperspace while still on the planet. She didn’t know if this had ever been attempted before, and at the moment, she hoped it has been. The cloudy skies of Naboo stretched around them and soon faded into the blue glow of hyperspace.

A few moments later, Finn emerged. He clapped Rey on the shoulder as he went to Poe.

“Well, make that two successful escapes now.” Finn laughed.

“Don’t curse us. We still have to find a place to re-fuel this ship. Sitting in a hangar for 75 plus years doesn’t exactly save fuel. We’ll need to find a neutral planet to land her in. This ship isn’t exactly inconscipcous.”

Rey placed her hand on Artoo’s head as they approached.

“Artoo says Naboo has fuel for the ship. I know it’s not neutral, but it has the fuel this ship needs. I say we head there. He knows the coordinates.”

Artoo hooted excitedly.

Finn and Poe looked at each other, then shrugged.

“If it’s our best bet, then yes. Artoo, see if you can reach out to the falcon or the resistance. Let them know we made it alright.” Poe sighed as he settled into the captain seat. Rey smiled down at the droid and they went off to send the message. They sat back in the lounge area. There were enough seats it seemed for about 7 people, and a large chair that was obviously for someone very important. Rey sat in that one, placing her forearms on her knees.

“Rey!?” Luke’s image appeared through Artoo’s hologram. “Are you alright?”

“We’re fine. We made it off Coruscant alright. How are you? Did you guys run into any trouble?” Rey’s eyes scanned her father’s face desperately. He was alive. He made it off of Coruscant. Yet she still couldn’t shake the feeling that all that may change.

“We made it out alright, thanks to Chewie’s fancy flying. We had a couple fighters on our tail till we made our jump to hyperspace. We’re jumping around now, in case we’re being followed. You found a ship?” 

“I made some friends in the Jedi Complex.” She answered.

“Oh?” 

“I’ll tell you that when we see each other again.”

“Alright.”

“We’re gonna stop off to refuel and then we’ll meet up. Dad,”

Luke looked up, a smile appearing on his face. 

“Go talk to your sister.” Rey ended the call, feeling a bit smug.

She looked at Artoo, who started beeping away.

“You scrambled the code, right Artoo?”

Rey grinned at the smugness of the droid.

“No, you are right. I don’t have a clue how long you’ve been doing this. Go on. Go help our boys land this beast.” She nudged the droid on with her foot. Artoo beeped a farewell, heading up to the cockpit.

Rey closed her eyes as she pulled herself in a mediating position. She focused on each of her emotions, her fears. The fear that the First Order will catch them. The fear that Ben, no – He was Kylo ren now - will kill her father. She let go of those fears and it seemed three more appeared. She could get her friends killed in this. General Organa, her aunt, could die. Rey released those fears, giving them to the force. Then she felt the boys sitting in the cockpit, Finn’s force signature just a bit stronger than Poe’s. She reminded herself to talk to her father about that. She felt the ghosts that sit with her on this ship. They were…. handmaidens. To a dead queen. Rey swallowed, feeling the blur of life forms as they passed them in hyperspace. Tiny, yellow flickers. Those flickers were life. She sighed. Rey was about to quit, the force had no visions for her today.

Until the image of a Nabooian queen appeared before her. Rey felt a twinge of familiarity at the woman before her. Her handmaidens were spread out among the seats, each watching as Anakin Skywalker walked in. She dismissed the other girls, waiting until they left the cabin to rush to Anakin. They embraced, each grabbing at each other as if they were amazed that the other was alive.

“I heard so many rumors, Ani…” She whimpered, placing her hands on his face.

“I’m fine, Padme. I’m okay.” He comforted her, but a cocky smirk was plastered on his face.

“He’s only okay because of me!” A voice shouted through the door. Anakin sighed, stepping away as the Togruta walked in.

“Ahsoka.” He scolded her, trying and failing to be mad.

“Master, I know. You don’t have to act all,” she waved her hand around. “ _official_.” Ahsoka smiled at Padme as she settled into one of the handmaiden’s chairs. Padme winced as Anakin turned to her, his mouth open.

“You told her?”

“She already knew.” Padme shrugged.

Anakin turned to Ahsoka.

“I haven’t told anyone! Geez master. Do you _really_ think that I would rat you out to the jedi council? C’mon Skyguy.” She rolled her eyes as Padme laughed.

Anakin spluttered for a bit, finally settling for the chair to Padme’s left. Both women looked to him sympathetically. Padme reached out her hand, comforting her husband.

“We’ll need to land soon, Ahsoka. Tell Rex that Dagobah is fine.” Padme gave Ahsoka a pointed look. The padawan sighed, getting to her feet and leaving the couple.

Rey opened her eyes.

“Poe!” She yelped, scrambling from the seat to the cockpit. She opened up the door, and found Finn and Poe holding hands.

“What’s up?” Poe asked as he tore his eyes away from Finn.

“Dagobah. There’s fuel there, and I think that’s where Ahsoka is.”

Poe checked the navicomputer and immediately turned off the hyperspace jump. The yacht coasted smoothly towards the green, cloudy planet. After a bit of a struggle, Poe set the Nubian down on a semi dry patch of land. They disembarked and Rey was astounded at the dampness of the air. They began wandering to an unknown location, walking blindly, albeit confidently. Rey closed her eyes as she reached out with the force. The force and she searched the planet for life forms. Like a rake dragging through dirt, they searched and searched and searched until Rey felt it. Somebody else was looking through the force as well. They were older, much older. They had to be at least 70 years old. Their force signature wasn’t a flicker, it was a blaze of green and white in the dark swamp world.

“I found Ahsoka.”

Rey rushed off, leaving the boys protesting in her wake as she raced towards the lost padawan.

“I swear, Leia is just like her.” Poe grimaced, then glanced back towards the yacht. “Let’s fill her up, then go find Rey.”

Rey was clutching her arm as she bounded over fallen trees. She had forgotten to apply a bacta wrap to her arm, but it was too late for that now. The force signature was getting stronger and suddenly Rey was flung into the air. She couldn’t move a single muscle save for her eyes, which scanned the clearing and found a Togruta with massive horns standing on a branch.

“Who are you?” The Togruta asked, her wrinkly face contorted with concentration.

“Rey Skywalker.”

“… Skywalker?”

“Yes. Are you Ahsoka? Can you _please_ let me down?”

Ahsoka lowered her, then jumped lithely down from the tree. She approached Rey, her horns brushing the ground. The lost padawan gently took Rey’s chin, her thumb and forefinger holding her steady. Rey felt the force brushing against her mind, and opened herself to Ahsoka. Both women closed their eyes as they explored each other’s minds.

Anakin Skywalker, grinning down at Ahsoka after a battle. Anakin, begging Ahsoka to stay in the Jedi order. Anakin, telling Ahoska to stay with Padme as he rushes off to save the Chancellor. Ahsoka, holding Luke and Leia as Padme’s funeral procession passes the royal palace. Then realizing that her master, the hero with no fear, had turned to the dark side.

Then the pain of Anakin Skywalker’s promise to never hurt her. Rey looked up at the woman in front of her.

“You have your grandfather’s eyes.” Ahsoka spoke. Rey knew Ahsoka had seen all Rey had been through. “But your father’s smile. I always knew that you Skywalkers were a stubborn bunch.” 

“Ahsoka… We need you to come with us. We can stop this first order.” Rey pleaded.

The Togruta sighs. “Do you know how many galactic wars I’ve seen, Rey?”

“No,”

“Three. The first was the Separatist war, the second was the rebellion versus the empire, and now the resistance versus the First Order. Each war we thought by defeating the sith lord that it would end the war, end the strife for good. Each time, we were wrong. I’m not anxious to fight again, Rey. I’m not anxious to lose.”

“We won’t lose. He’s my cousin, your master’s grandson. He follows a deluded assumption about Anakin. He believes in Vader, not Anakin. If anyone can help steer him back, it’s you! Snoke… Snoke is exploiting Ben’s belief in Vader. You knew Anakin the best. You knew him after he became Vader. Yo-“

“Rey, Skyguy… died. He didn’t become Vader. He died, and Vader took his place. Your father managed to return him in the end. But what- what are you hoping to accomplish by having me talk to Ben? Odds are that he’ll try to kill me before I can speak.”

“Not with me and my friends there. He’ll be too busy trying to kill me to kill you.” Rey laughed darkly.

Ahsoka sighed. “If I go with you, I can leave whenever I want.”

Rey’s face lit up.

“ You’re coming!?”

“Only if I can leave whenever I want. With no one, and I mean no one, coming after me.”

“Deal.” Rey gushed, bouncing in place as Finn and Poe belatedly crashed through the clearing. Poe Dameron was cussing, swatting off bugs as Finn tripped, a vine tangled around his foot.

“Please tell me that is not the resistance.”

“Just the best pilot and an ex-Stormtrooper.” Rey laughed, then realized her mistake. Ahsoka leapt on them, sabers ignited.

“ _an EX-Stormtrooper?_ ” She snarled as both of the boys swallowed.

“No! No don’t kill them! Finn saved Poe’s life. He left because he didn’t want to be part of their cause. He saved my life!” Rey yelped.

Ahsoka stared down at the boys, reading them. Memories of Rex and Wolffe came to mind, her big brothers. The clones that had removed their chip; that had resisted Order 66. She understood Finn’s reluctance to murder in the name of a faux cause. She sheathed her sabers, stepping off of the boys.

“Sorry about that fellas, old war habits die hard.” She smiled, holding her hands out for them. They took her hands, getting to their feet.

“Lead the way.” Ahsoka spoke, turning to Rey. She set off towards the old Nubian, swapping stories with the old Padawan all the way back.

Back in the relative safety of Hyperspace, Rey sat across from Ahsoka. Old holotapes of Anakin and Ahsoka fighting played in front of them.

“He was… reckless. It made the jedi council furious, but Skyguy and I always got the job done. I knew he didn’t agree with the war, but he managed to survive in it. He began to become more aggressive, less patient. Obi-wan tasked me with watching him and reigning him in when need be. But, I was young. He was powerful. Since he was my master, I looked up to him. His power was evident on any battle field, but out of the war zone he was kind, and fiercely protective. You should have seen him with Padme.” She smiled, changing to the next holotape. A young, brunette woman appeared speaking before a crowd. Anakin stood by her side, refusing to look anywhere but her. “It was the worst kept secret in the Jedi temple. I still believe that Master Yoda knew about his marriage, and I know for a fact that Obi-wan knew. If Padme so much as sneezed, Anakin was there. She loved him, even at the end. Th- “Ahsoka gasped as Artoo rolled into the cabin.

“Artooie?” she laughs, getting up to greet her old friend. Artoo hooted, bumping against her.

“I can’t believe this old Astromech is still around. We’ve been through a lot together.”

Rey relaxed into her seat, taking in the reunion. She didn’t understand why Ahsoka would want to escape at a moment’s notice.

There was something that Ahsoka Tano wasn’t telling Rey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think Ezra is a lil bitch so I destroyed his planet #StopWhiningEzra


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you noticed I changed how I was writing this, and updated the other chapters accordingly. Also, just an fyi, these next couple of weeks will be hell for me (two research papers, two group projects, an exam and two other papers) so there may not be another update until May. (or this weekend, depending on how much I get done). Thanks for your patience and enjoy!
> 
>  
> 
> Also the fate of one of the characters in this story all depends on the Star Wars Rebels season finale tonight. I'll see you all in Space Hell.

“We’ve got company!” Poe shouted from the cockpit.

Rey had been meditating with Ahsoka when she heard the panic in Poe’s voice. If Poe was scared, then it was more than company. Ahsoka opened her eyes as Rey rose. The old togruta felt the worry in Rey, she felt the apprehension.

“Go, it’s better to be in the fight than sit idly by.” Ahsoka nodded as Poe shouted one more time.

Rey rushed to the cockpit, finding Finn at the few blaster cannons that were positioned on the ship’s hull. He was cussing under his breath as he fired at the TIE fighters.

“How did this happen?” She asked, looking up at the collection of Star destroyers in front of them. Some of them were newer models, but the majority of the destroyers were rehabbed Empire models.

“Random jumps back to the base. We picked an unlucky sequence. I need you to make a new hyperspace jump. Finn is busy being a hero.” He grinned. Rey laughed, settling down at the other console. Her fingers flew over the knobs and buttons and screens as she plotted out some hyperspace routes, and let the computer plan random ones.

“Guys,” Finn spoke after 5 minutes.

“Yeah?” Poe asked.

“Uh, the star destroyers are turning towards us.”

Rey whipped her head up right as the ship’s systems shut down.

“They’ve got us in a tractor beam!” Ahsoka yelled as she hobbled up into the cockpit. “I hope you all are ready for a fight. I’ve been sitting on that swamp planet too long.” She grinned, her hands drifting down towards her sabers.

“Are you crazy!?” Finn yelled, going to grab blasters for Poe and himself.

“Probably.”

Rey grasped as her grandfather’s saber, her fingers fitting nearly perfectly into the worn grooves on the handle. Ahsoka’s blue eyes flickered to the young padawan.  
“What does your master say you are? A knight or a padawan?”

“Luke? We’re not really sure. The Jedi order was broken by the time Obi-wan told Luke about his destiny. So, I guess I am a knight?” Rey shrugged as they’re pulled into the underbelly of the Star Destroyer.

“Knight or not, these star destroyers have seen the end of hundreds of Jedi. I hope you’re all ready to kick some ass.” She put her hand on her hip as the docking arm reached their cruiser. Rey looked to her boys.

The doors opened, and chaos broke loose. Ahsoka vanished into a blur, her headtails the only visible signs of her as she cut – no, she wasn’t killing the storm troopers. She was knocking them unconscious. Her white sabers vanished as she began to thump trooper after trooper on their helmted heads. Rey followed after her, following the Jedi’s example. Poe and Finn set their blasters for stun at the troopers that were further down the hall. They breached the star destroyer. Ahsoka sliced the panel and the docking arm retracted. Their ship was still stuck in the belly of the destroyer, but for now this ship was down 40 troopers.

“Now what?” Finn asked, trembling.

“Now we take the bridge. Poe, take Rey. I want you two to get a hangar and find us a fast ship. Take the homing device off of it. Check near the hyperdrive. That’s where the old empire used to put them. Finn, with me. I don’t want either of you turning the ship on until my cue. You’ll know it.” Ahsoka grinned.

Rey looked at Poe. “Well, may the force be with you.” She whispered, more confused than ever.

Ahsoka grabbed Finn’s hand, and they’re off. Rey and Poe were about to head to the hangar when a droid began to contact them. Rey lifted her communicator up.

“Go ahead,”

Artoo screamed, indignant at being left on the cruiser.

“We forgot Artoo!” She whispered as Poe adjusted his blaster.

“Well, tell him to dump the troopers and head back to the base. There’s gotta be escape pods on that ship.”

“Did you hear that Artoo?”

He beeped.

“We are sorry! It just got out of hand. I promise a nice warm bath for you when we get back to base, on me.” She pleaded.

Artoo trilled then ended the comm. She sighed.

“Onwards.” Poe reached for her hand and promptly pulled it back at her icy expression. “No hand holding, got it.”

They were quiet as they snuck through the ship. It was not that they didn’t want to talk, it was just that they couldn’t risk getting caught. This wasn’t Kylo Ren’s ship. There was too few troopers for it to be his. Rey reached out with the force. She felt each flicker of life on the destroyer, colored red and beige by their training. From what she could tell, there was not a single force sensitive being on the ship. Her hand still brushed the saber on her hip as they reached a hallway filled with lifts. Rey realized that without a disguise, they won’t make it. She pulled Poe back, gripping the front of his uniform tight.

“We need a uniform.” She whispered as a few lifts raced past their floor.

“You’re right. Next lift that comes down, we ambush?”

“We’ll need a ….” Rey’s eyes scanned the area, landing on a garbage chute. She grinned. “That works.”

They stayed by the garbage chute as they waited for the elevator. A few more whirred past and they almost abandoned that mission until the elevator pinged pleasantly and opened. Rey rushed it, Poe right at her side and they grabbed the occupants and pulled them from the elevator, a fist flies and Rey caught it, bending the trooper’s hand backwards as Poe punched the officer that was with them and as they were dragging their catch towards the garbage chute Rey gasped, her hands on the buckles of the trooper’s armor.

She was looking down at the unconscious face of General Hux.

“Hit him again!”

“Why?”

“Just do it,” She clipped on the armor and it hung off of her. She adjusted the straps as best she could, then plopped on the helmet. “Hit him, Poe!” She spoke.

Poe thumped Hux over the head once more, then began stripping him. He pulled off his shoes and pants and grabs Hux’s tiny hat. He tried to put on the small hat, but his head was too big. Poe kicked Hux out of frustration. He quickly donned the rest of the general’s clothes, then helped Rey shove the pair into the garbage chute. They were running towards the lifts and mashed the hangar button once they were in.

“Why did you make me hit him?” Poe asked, breathing hard.

“Because that was General Hux. Take off those rankings.” Rey whispered, then went quiet. She took off the helmet. “They’re trying to contact me! What should I do?”

“Answer?”

“What does a storm trooper say?”

“How would I know?” Poe shrugged.

“Aren’t you dating Finn?”

“Yes, I am but he’s not a Stormtrooper anymore! Roger roger?”

“Ugh,” Rey rolled her eyes as she put the helmet back on. “Roger, roger.”

“YT -4982, where are you?” Captain Phasma snapped through the communicator.

“Lift number… 5, Captain.”

“Is General Hux with you?”

“No, Ma’am.”

“What!? Well _find him immediately, YT – 4982. Find him, NOW._ ” She ended the conversation abruptly.

Rey removed her helmet, grimacing. “No wonder Finn left. They’re all so mean. Are we close? I think we’-“ She paused, looking up as the elevator lights flickered to red and klaxon horns began blaring. “It sounds like Ahsoka and Finn found the bridge. If that’s our cue…” She trailed off. She unclipped the armor now that the whole ship knows they were on board. Rey sprinted after Poe towards a new landing craft. Poe was running his hands along the side of the craft, searching for the homing device. Rey heard shouting and turned to see Ahsoka flinging Finn into the hangar with the Force. Rey unsheathed her saber just as Ahsoka cut down a line of troopers. Apparently Ahsoka was done knocking the troopers unconscious. Rey gulped as Finn rolled his way to her. He got to his feet, stumbling as he raced for the ship.

“Where’s Poe?” He shouted, pulling his blaster from his belt and shooting a trooper down.

“He’s checking the ship.” Rey spun her blade and managed to block some blaster fire. Finn raced to the opposite side of the ship, finding the device easily. He ripped it off and yelled for Poe and they disappeared inside. Ahsoka made her way over to Rey, her face serious.

“There was a time –ugh- when blaster fire meant a fun fight.” She hissed as her blades blurred, deflecting shot after shot. “Now it just means I have to cut down innocents.”

“Well, I think the boys are nearly ready. Let’s give them a parting gift?” Rey asked as she sheathed her saber.

“You are a Skywalker,” Ahsoka laughed as she put up her hands.

The women reached out to the force, feeling it thrumming with the energy around them. They pulled the fighters off of their tethering cables and sent them careening towards the troopers. White armored legs disappeared under crushed TIE fighter wings. The wrecked ships blocked the entrances to the hangar. They hurried onto the landing craft and Poe lifted off. The ship left the hangar and roared out into the vastness of space. The star destroyer suddenly split in two behind them, and both chunks tumbled towards a small forest moon.

“Yeah!” Poe shouted.

“That’s what I’m talkin’ about!” Finn shouted, thumping Poe on the back.  
Ahsoka slumped into one of the seats and let out a huge sigh. Rey sat beside her, her body shaking.

“That goes away.”

“What?” Rey asked.

“The shaking. Happens to everybody. First time I ever met your grandfather was in the middle of a battle. He was pissed.” She laughed. “Didn’t trust me, didn’t believe in me, thought I was just in the way. I was. But after the battle he comforted me. Anakin took me under his wing, taught me how to overcome the shakes, taught me how to be a better soldier, a better Jedi. But he taught me how to protect people.”

Rey watched Ahsoka.

“What you need, Rey, is Luke and I. Luke can teach you the battle instincts. How to wield your blade. But I can teach you the basics of the Jedi code. Maybe we could make a new Jedi code. It’d be so much better than the old dick-festival.”

“Dick festival?”

“Yoda totally favored the boys. Honestly, I think I saw _maybe_ 300 female jedi in my time there. I’m sure there were more stationed around, but still.” She laughed.

“There’s no way.”

“That’s what I thought.”

“Hey ladies,” Poe’s voice echoed over the intercom. “We’re making the jump into hyperspace, then we’ll be at the station to ditch this hunk of junk and get back to D’qar. So, about twenty minutes? Yeah, twenty minutes.” He clicked the intercom off.

“Finn is handy in a fight. But anway, back to making a new order. I think we could do it. Luke seems like a cool guy. I’ve spoken to Leia a few times. If we can get both the Skywalkers to help us….” She smiled, her eyes glittering. “We can bring back what the Galaxy lost.”

Rey smiled, her chest filling with hope. She leaned against Ahsoka as the adrenaline rush from the battle left her. Exhaustion pushed her to sleep and Rey didn’t dream. Ahsoka looked down at the young Jedi.

“She looks just like you.” Her bright blue eyes drifted up to the force ghost that sat across from them.

“You think so, snips?” Anakin hummed, tilting his head as he watched Rey sleep. “She reminds me of Padme.”

“She’s got your fire. That’s for sure. But she wants me to talk to… Ben? Kylo Ren? She wants me to convince him that he’s following the wrong legacy.”

“He is.”

“Then how come you haven’t gotten him to change his mind?”

“The sith lord, Snoke. He’s blocking Ben’s dreams and twisting the ones that make it through his mental barrier. He’s powerful, not as powerful as Palpatine, but still strong. Don’t run from this fight Ahsoka.”

Ahsoka opened her mouth for a snippy reply, only to find her old master gone. She put her cheek on top of Rey’s head as the ship thundered through hyperspace. There was hope for the Skywalkers yet.

 

The ship finally set down on D’qar. It was cloudy, and the electric static and wet taste of a storm lingered in the air around them as they disembark. Rey rushed to Luke, seeing her master by his sister. They embraced fiercely. Luke’s metal hand clutched at the fabric on Rey’s back as her hands gripped his cloak as tight as they could. She was okay and her family was okay too. Once they finally released each other, Leia approached hugging her niece for dear life. Behind them, Poe is talking to a very angry and indignant Artoo as Beebee watched them. Ahsoka stepped forward, watching the two Skywalkers.

“Master, this is Ahsoka Tano.” As she introduced them she felt the prodding in the force. Luke and Leia opened up their minds to Ahsoka as she did the same. It almost felt like Rey was invading in this private moment. Each person there, aside from herself, had encountered Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader. The three saw the good in Darth Vader when no one thought it had existed, and the three had fought for the return of Anakin. Poe, Finn, and Chewie ambled over to watch the spectacle. Rey quietly shooed them away and they grumbled, but finally left.

Finally, Luke smiled.

“You think I look like him?”

“You do, but Leia is more like him.” Ahsoka laughed. “You remind me of Padme. But any Skywalker is a good person in my book.”

“So I’m the brains _and_ the beauty.” Leia smirked. 

Luke rolled his eyes, “Alright, like being royalty wasn’t enough.”

“Hey, at least you know how to harvest water.” Leia winked, then turned to Ahsoka. “Let’s head inside. We’ve got a lot to discuss.”

They all headed inside to the base, walking through the awed whispers and quiet gasps. There has not been this many Jedi in a place since Luke’s academy. There was hope in the base once again.

But the fear of what happened the last time this many Jedi were together came back too.

The fear of the dark side began to seep in, and it gave Kylo Ren the opportunity he so desperately needed.

The fear of the workers opened up the dark side of the force. Kylo shut his eyes, the dark tendrils of the force seeping into the worried worker’s minds.

_So many Jedi._

_Luke Skywalker AND Ahsoka Tano?_

_The scavenger has a lightsaber now._

_Is this the Jedi order that betrayed the republic?_

Kylo Ren made a mental note to personally thank these workers later. He turned to Phasma, his hand twitching on his saber.

“Captain Phasma. It’s time for us to pay D’qar a visit. Inform Hux to rendezvous with us there.” His voice was thick through his mask.

“Sir,” Phasma nodded, giving the order to leave Coruscant’s orbit.

Kylo ren looked down at the vast cityscape as his troopers prepared to leave.

“I will finish it today, grandfather.”

Anakin hissed, swatting the back of Kylo’s head. Kylo turned around, trying to see the source of the slap. He saw nothing.


	5. Chapter 5

The destroyers descended on D’qar. Half of the fleet had been called to destroy the resistance and the planet they inhabited. Kylo Ren stared down at the grass planet as he felt the anger spike on the ship. The troopers were preparing themselves for battle and feeding the dark side. Kylo Ren drank in the dark side. It was a twisted elixir that fueled the rage Snoke had instilled in him. The scars on his chest and back tingled as the first gunships were released.

The siege of D’qar had begun.

Ahsoka and Luke advanced on Rey, their lightsabers humming. Rey deflected blow after blow, ducking as Luke swung at her head. She kicked her legs out, sending her father to the ground. Rey leapt to her feet, holding the blade near his throat.

“Ha!” She laughed.

“Watch your back.” Ahsoka spoke as Rey felt the warmth of her sabers at her back. Rey groaned.

“It was good for your fifth try though.” Luke laughed, then winced. “I’m not as young as I once was. Help me up?” He held out his hand. Rey gripped the metal hand tightly and pulled him up.

“You’re good, Rey. It’s going to take a while to begin to harness your power. But I haven’t seen this much raw talent since the Jedi era.” Ahsoka went quiet. “Do you feel that?”

“Ben.” Luke hissed.

The base around them shuddered as blaster fire boomed. Klaxon horns began blaring as the hallway descended into darkness, which was quickly chased away by emergency lighting. Leia’s voice echoed over the speakers; Calling all pilots to their fighters and all gunners to their anti-aircraft weapons and then the Jedi were running through the base, towards the old Jedi fighters that Han had scrounged up years while he was looking for the Falcon. Ahsoka leapt into the red one, giddy with nostalgia.

“All I need is an astromech and we’re republic gold. Luke, I’m assuming you’re taking Artoo. Rey?” She asked.

“I’ve never flown with an astromech before.” She shrugged as she settled into the fighter.

“It’s fun, but we’ll be fine without. Keep him safe, Artoo.” Ahsoka shut the fighter’s cover and the three rose into the air, the fighters roaring to life.

X-wings zipped by overhead, the blasters firing off round after round at the incoming TIE Fighters and gunships. Ahsoka spun, managing to throw off a lone TIE that had found her. She arced back, shooting the TIE down quickly. Luke appeared on her right, and Rey on her left. Another wave of TIE fighters dropped from space, firing at the incoming X-Wings and dodging the anti-aircraft cannons.

“Kriff.” Ahsoka cussed, seeing a star destroyer dropping into the planet’s atmosphere. “Aim for the bridge! A-“ Gagging noises came from Ahsoka. Rey looked over as Luke yelled; “NO!”

Ahsoka was being force-choked. Her hands clawed. The nose dipped as it spiraled down towards the planet surface. Rey snarled, her eyes scanning for Kylo Ren’s ship. She was going to make him pay. A sleek, newly produced TIE fighter was racing towards Luke’s flank, the weapons system armed at Luke and Ahsoka. Rey yelled, swerving out of the formation to rush Kylo; refusing to back down even though her computer blares at her that his weapons were now locked on her fighter and faintly Rey swears that she could hear Anakin telling her how to survive a mid-air collision- _Escape just before collision and use the force to help you land on debris that’s descending slowly, make sure to utilize your saber to deflect the bigger, more deadly debris chunks. Odds are, Kylo Ren is going to try and attack you, so be prepared for a mid-air battle._ \- She can see Kylo Ren’s masked face and she knew that only cowards hide behind masks then Rey knew that she could defeat him, she had to defeat Kylo Ren for Han Solo, for the Hosnian System, and for Ahsoka. Rey unclipped her restraining belt and gripped the saber as the tip of her fighter, the nose started to impact against the domed glass of the TIE fighter and she called on the force and leapt, she launched herself so high that for a moment she wondered if she’s leapt too high but Anakin was right because she’s swinging her blade up before she was even aware of her actions to defend herself from Kylo Ren and his wild, furious attacks. She swung her legs up, kicking Kylo directly in the chest and sending him careening into the falling wreckage of their ships. Rey leapt up, grabbing a piece of the TIE fighter’s wing. She spotted her father racing around in his ship, keeping the fighters away from her and Kylo. She considered jumping from her piece of debris to his fighter, but before she can even prepare herself to jump, the metal wing turned upside down and she found herself being sucked towards Kylo Ren, who was howling. His gloved hand grabbed her ankle, pulling her to him.

“Where is she!?”

“You shot her down!” She screamed back, then punched him in the face.

Kylo blubbered, trying to hit Rey back. He was so blinded with rage however, that every punch he threw he missed. The two were locked in hand to hand combat as the X wings and TIE fighters continued out. Rey closed her eyes, reaching out to Luke.

_Could use a little help, please._

_On my way. Don’t kill him._

“You think your precious _master_ will help you? The Jedi couldn’t even protect this planet. What makes you think he can help you?” Kylo snarled, his black hair whipping in his face.

“Because he’s a true Skywalker.” She spat in his face.

Kylo went beserk. He pulled at Rey’s hair, finally steadying her enough to land a few punches on her face. Rey kicked him, trying to free herself from his grip. Rey shouted, bringing her knee right into Kylo’s face. The two fell apart, but immediately landed on Skywalker’s fighter. Luke brought the fighter towards the ground, landing it smoothly on the ground. Rey leapt from the fighter onto solid ground, the blood from Kylo’s punches dripping from her nose and her mouth. Luke pushed the fighter cockpit door open with the force, sending Kylo Ren flying. Luke landed on the ground next to Rey and promptly extended his right mechno-arm. Kylo Ren was lifted into the air, kicking and screaming like a baby.

“Punk ass nephew.” Luke snarled as the sun vanished behind dark, cloudy skies. The flashes from the fighters around them were the only source of light above them. Luke turned on his saber, turning his face and the ground around him bright green.

“Let – me – go!” Kylo wailed.

“Look what you’ve done.”

“I know what I’m doing! You don’t. Look, Rey is lost. The last padawan of the order is dead and you now have nothing.” Kylo hissed. Rey advanced, Anakin’s saber humming in her palm.

“You’re a fool if you think you’re following Anakin’s legacy.” Rey finally spoke, her blood smeared on her face. “Anakin was a good man and an even better jedi. You are neither of those things. Luke didn’t fail you, YOU failed him, and the family you were born into.”

“Rey…” Luke warned as he adjusted his grip on his nephew.

“What would you know about the family legacy?”

“I’ve spoken with Anakin. I’ve spoken with Ahsoka. Who have you spoken with? A sith lord?” She sneered.

Kylo’s eyes twitched.

“Rey. Run.”

“Wh- Why?”

“Now!” Luke ordered.

Rey spared Luke one last glance, but knew she needed to leave. This battle needed to be between Luke and Kylo. She bounded off, reaching out to the force to try and find Ahsoka. Most of the TIE fighters had landed which meant that the battle had finally dissolved into ground combat. She raced through the clearing, leaping over crashed fighters and debris. The force swelled around her as she searched, but felt nothing. Ahsoka was injured, or worse, dead. They were foolish to believe that someone of Ahsoka’s age would be willing to fight in this battle. Rey had put Ahsoka in this danger, she had asked Ahsoka to return and now, she was probably dead. Rey reached Ahsoka’s fighter, trying to shake away her doubts. She lifted the debris off until she saw the tip of one of Ahsoka’s lekkus peeking out from a wing piece.

“Ahsoka!”

Rey scrambled to her, moving the wing off of the old togruta. She groaned, looking up at the young Skywalker.

“Rey…. Are you okay?” She whimpered, her eyelids fluttering.

“I’m okay. Luke is battling Kylo right now.” She pressed her communicator to call for medical assistance. “Don’t move a muscle. Help is on the way.”

“Put your hand on mine. I need to show you some things in case the medical droids don’t get here fast enough.”

Rey placed her hand on Ahsoka’s.

“What are you talking about?” She asked.

Ahsoka didn’t respond. Instead, images of her talking a scaly hand and looking up into face of Jedi Master Plo Koon. Then her years in the temple flashed into Rey’s mind. Years of light saber training, reading tome after tome in the library, picking her crystals out on Ilum, more saber training and then the memory of her on the gunship, descending on Christophsis, meeting Anakin and all the lessons she learned with him. Rey gasped, her eyes whiting out from an entire life’s worth of lessons and experiences flooding into her mind.

“Easy.” Ahsoka hummed, pouring in images of her battle with Vader in the sith temple. Then the years on Dagobah and then Rey saw herself through Ahsoka’s eyes. She opened her eyes, staring at her friend. The buzz of medical droids raced closer to them.

“If I don’t make it Rey, then you’ll have to learn what I did through my me- ah- memories,” She coughed, a bit of azure blood dripping from her lips. “It’s up to you, Luke, and even Finn. He needs training, and he could be a great asse-set-“ She began coughing as the droids did their preliminary scans on the old togruta.

“Save your breath.” Rey fought back the wave of sadness that threatened to overwhelm her. The droids pulled a hover-cot out and gingerly moved her away from the wreck. Rey watched as the droids rushed away with Ahsoka.

Rey didn’t have time to worry about her friend, however, because just then the force blew black around D’qar. A few resistance fighters came to her on speeders, removing their helmets.

“Need a ride?” One asked.

They took Rey to the battle, dropping her near the chaos. What few trees had lined the clearing were now sliced into chunks and Kylo Ren was being thrown towards the other side of the clearing. Rey ran to Luke, unsheathing her saber.

“What are you doing back here!?”

“I found Ahsoka so I came to –“ Rey ducked as Kylo Ren lobbed a few tree trunks their way. “help.”

Luke glanced at her as he thrust out his palm. Kylo Ren was lifted into the air, unmoving.

“Skywalker.” He sneered, his wild eyes settling on Rey. “So you’ve picked the traitors and thieves? Only a fool would side with him. After I cut him down, you’ll be next.” Kylo Ren’s voice was filled with fury but his mask hid his expressions.

“That’s enough, Ben.”

“Ben is dead.”

“Kriffin’ hells. Do you _know_ what you’ve done? To the galaxy? To your family!?”  
“I have finished what Darth Vader started. I will raze this galaxy until nothing but the first order is left. The galaxy and republic are corrupt, and I will fix it with Supreme Leader Snoke’s guidance.”

Luke sighed as he lowered Kylo Ren to the ground.

“Ben isn’t dead. Do you know who is on this planet? Who has watched your foolish rebellion from the very first murder? _Your mother._ Come with us, Ben.”

“Stop calling me that!” Kylo Ren screamed. He bounded towards Luke as he swung his blade up. Luke caught his swing mid-air and forced Kylo Ren back with a grunt, his feet struggling for stability on the soft ground. Rey clicked on saber and rushed to help Luke. Together, the two of them attacked and parried Kylo’s frantic swings. Both Kylo and Rey had trained with Luke, so they knew every attack and every defense the other did. Rey advanced finally, slamming her saber relentlessly against Kylo’s, forcing him to retreat until he backpedaled into a blaster impact hole in the ground. He fell hard and his lightsaber clattered out of his hand. Rey planted her foot on his chest, holding Anakin’s saber at his throat.

“Rey, NO!” Luke yelled, feeling the dark side of the force explode in the clearing.

Rain began to pelt their faces as Rey kept the blade at his throat. She could slice his throat and end the suffering that he had put the galaxy through. Han Solo’s face filled her mind and her blade tilted down a bit more.

“Kill him and you’ll be no better than what he believes in.” Luke shouted, slogging through to the mud to her.

“I- He killed Han!”

“I know.”

Rey turned off her saber, using the force to knock Kylo into unconsciousness. Luke grabbed Kylo’s saber, clipping it to his belt and then pulled his daughter into his arms. She hiccupped as the fight continued on around them. She nearly killed Kylo Ren. She nearly killed her cousin and for what? Revenge was not the Jedi way, yet, she wasn’t a Jedi, was she? Why was she binding herself to a code that was so obviously broken. Luke ran his hand through her hair, murmuring softly to her.

“We need to get him back to the base.” He finally said after a minute. Rey nodded, helping her father lift Kylo Ren up. They carried him back to the base, trudging through the mud as the rain continued to fall.  
A huge explosion lit up the sky above them. Rey looked up in time to see a Star Destroyer crumbling through the atmosphere. Entire sections were burning up above them as bits of stormtrooper armor rained down. They found a hatch as the remaining TIE fighters lifted into the sky. Rey and Luke dropped Kylo down the hatch first, then climbed down after him. Nothing like a small concussion to keep Kylo asleep. Once they were down, Rey lifted him in a fireman’s carry as they travelled down the tunnel back towards the base. A few resistance fighters ran the opposite way, priming their blasters. Luke and Rey finally arrived at an inhabited section of the underground base. Medics rushed to them, then balked at the person who was strung across Rey’s shoulders.

“Help me!” She shouted, blood spitting from her mouth. With a nod from Luke they jumped into action, taking Kylo Ren from her and rushing him to a bacta tube.

The pair went with them, using the force to restrict Kylo’s consciousness from returning. They sat by the door. It wasn’t long before Leia burst into the medical chamber. Her eyes were wild as Kylo Ren was dunked into the bacta-tank. She placed her hand on the tube.

“Leia…” Luke warned, feeling his sister prodding Kylo’s mind with the force. “If you wake him up, he’ll endanger us all.”

“How!? The First Order is in full retreat. What backup could he possibly call for?”

“He’s powerful,”

“He’s my son! Your nephew!” Leia fired back.

“I know.”

Luke and Leia glared at each other for a moment. The tension in the room spiked and it was almost too much for Rey. She took a step back, right into a furry wall. Chewbacca put his hands on Rey to hold her steady as he grumbled.

“Yes, I know we have to find a new base. Go oversee preparations for evacuation. Wait until all first order ships are gone to start ground level evac.” Leia finally looked away from Luke. Chewie nodded and promptly pulled Rey from the room.

“Oy!” She snapped, swatting at Chewie’s hand.

He growled.

“What do you mean?”

Chewie kept dragging her down the hallway, ignoring her protests.

“They’re my family. I should know what they’re going to do.”

He grumbled.

“Yes, I am aware that you’re family- wait, what do you mean he’s dangerous?”

Chewie brought her into the briefing room, his eyes sad as he moaned.

“This isn’t the first time the resistance has caught him!?” Rey gasped.

Chewie nodded his head and went off to go inform the others that it was time to evacuate. Rey sat on a chair. If the resistance had caught Kylo Ren before; then how did he escape? Rey shook the thought away as tens of workers rushed by with boxes to pack up the base.


	6. Chapter 6

Moving the base took about 3 weeks. 

Two of those weeks were spent simultaneously packing it up and looking for areas of the galaxy that used to be under the protection of the Republic and untouched by the first order. It was hard. Luke, Rey, and Leia took turns keeping Kylo Ren in a force induced coma. Luke continued training Rey while they kept watch over Kylo Ren. Rey spent most of her time meditating, sifting through the memories Ahsoka had given her. They were… vibrant. A specific platoon of clones was prevalent in many of her memories. Especially one called… Rex. He had died a few years back, Rey would later find out, from old age. Before the Empire and the galactic senate ran things. She saw glimpses of her grandmother, Padme, holding her own against foe time and time again.

“I have only ever seen the holotapes of my mother.” Luke murmured. Rey had allowed him to go through the memories that day. “Each holotape talked about her gentleness, her kindness. But I never thought she was this fierce about peace in the galaxy.” His voice was filled with awe.

“I can see where Leia gets it.”

“Yeah,”

“But you’re like her a lot. No, don’t give me that look – you are! You’re a much calming person and presence. You definitely take after her. Leia’s got Anakin’s fire.”

“She is tenacious.”

“And more. Come on father, let’s finish packing this place up.” Rey smoothed her pants as she stood, her eyes flickering briefly to Kylo Ren still in the bacta tube. “He’ll be all right, won’t he?”

“The bacta wash is giving him all the nutrients he could possibly need.”

“I me-“

“I know what you meant Rey. We’ll just have to see who wakes up.” Luke sighed, suddenly looking very much like his age. Luke stared at the lost learner, his old heart aching for a time when the only thing he had to worry about was keeping the Jedi temples intact from the assaults that the young children did with the force. Most of the time it was just rocks that were lobbed at the temple walls, but occasionally one student would find themselves flung towards Master Luke.

He didn’t deserve to be called Master anymore.

Rey looked at her father as she packed. She set the box down to tape it, ducking her head.

“I never told you how I escaped Coruscant.”

“No,”

“We were stuck, cornered in the old Jedi temple. Kylo had sent out imperial probes and I – well- started meditating? It wasn’t really meditating though; it was more like begging the force for help. But then so many old Jedi masters appeared. I saw their force ghosts,”

Luke’s head snapped towards her. His blue eyes were stark next to the pallor of his face. “You saw… force ghosts?”

“A lot of them, yes.”

“Rey… do you know what this means?” Happiness flooded through him, chasing away the darkness that had seeped into his mind.

“I don’t know what you’re taking from it but what I know is that your training is working. Really well. One failed apprentice isn’t the sign of a failed master.”

Luke blinked at her.

“Well, I was going to say that you’re becoming stronger with the force… but I guess you’re right.”

“You know I am.” She laughed. Rey hefted up the box, giving her father a pointed _“Get to work”_ glare. Rey left the room, heading into the chaos.

She rode the lift to the surface. The sun on D’qar was bright and burning, and she nearly dropped her box to shield her eyes. Workers and pilots ran past her, prepping X- wings and freighters alike for their departure. She managed to dodge most of the people, only bumping into two. She set the box on the falcon’s loading ramp, looking for a droid to take it onto the ship.

“Rey!”

“Finn?” Rey beamed as she saw her friend running from Poe’s black X- wing.

Finn hugged her, pressing his face into the crook of her neck. Rey loved his hugs. His arms made her feel warm, secure, and the hugs meant that yes, _She finally had a friend._ She squeezed him back.

“All packed up?”

“Wasn’t much too pack. Mind if I ride with you? There’s not a lot of space in the X-wing for me.” He finally released Rey.

“I would love it. Wouldn’t go anywhere without my best gunner.” She punched his arm, laughing. “Help me get this on board, then we have to load up Kylo onto Luke and Leia’s ship.” They both reached down, lifting the box and carrying it easily onto the Falcon. Chewie was on board, prepping the ship. 

“Hey Chewie.” Rey smiled. She knew Finn was still just a tiny bit scared of Chewbacca, and Chewie knew it too. He growled.

“Oh, stop it! He’s riding with us. No, don’t give me that look.”

Chewie moaned and wandered off.

“I think he still wants to kill me.”

“Probably because you called him a giant hairy thing. Come on,” Rey headed back down the falcon’s ramp, back towards the sleeping Sith Apprentice they were keeping in the basement.

Luke and Leia were overseeing the preparations to move Kylo Ren. Leia’s hand lingered on the glass casing as they shifted it from its upright position to horizontal. A mother’s love would have been enough to save Anakin from the dark path he took, it would have been enough to defeat Vader very early on, and it was not enough for this lost boy. The force was so thick in the air that it was nearly tangible around them. Images of Leia feeding a baby ben, of Leia watching as he took his first steps with his small, chubby in hands in Han’s calloused ones. Luke knew Rey was seeing these images. He had this memories with Rey as well, but the pain of what that innocent child had done had clouded them. Many of Luke’s memories were clouded now, his failures seeming to be the only legacy he could accept. To the rest of the galaxy, he was the young farm boy who had stopped the perilous reign of the empire. To himself, he was the man who had been first cause of the failure of the Jedi order, and the fool who thought he could bring it back. It was hard to see one’s accomplishments when one had so many failures.

“Luke, don’t –“

“Let’s get him onboard.” Luke interrupted Leia. The workers and droids moved him down the hallway with Luke, Leia, and Rey walking behind. Rey went with them onboard, making sure Luke could handle Kylo Ren by himself. The unease in the force thickened as soon as the slumbering boy was on. Images of an interstellar chase with Rey and Chewie yelling filled her mind.

“Calm yourself.” Luke murmured.

“I think we should wait.”

“No, Rey. If we wait any longer we’ll endanger everyone. We must leave.”

Rey pursed her lips, but didn’t respond. Trying to argue with Luke was like trying to catch a greased up womprat. She left the ship, heading for the Falcon. Finn was already on board, strapping down the last of the supplies while Chewie yelled at him from the cockpit.

“I can’t leave you two along for more than 5 seconds. Yes, he knows what he’s doing, Finn, just because you can’t understand him doesn’t mean he can’t understand you. Go sit. We need to leave.” Rey sat in the captain’s seat, settling her legs underneath herself. She flipped a few levers, and pulled on the yoke. The Millennium Falcon rose with the remaining rebel fleet and they left D’qar behind.

The jump into hyperspace was easy and went off without a hitch. Chewie and Rey had an old astromech on board that they put in charge of the ship while they were in Hyperspace. It was going to be a week’s flight through the swirling blue vortex of hyperspace, so they had packed accordingly. Finn was already seated at the booth. The chess game played out in front of him, and his eyebrows were creased together in concentration. He moved one piece.

Chewie grumbled.

“He says that’s a bad move because that other one can get you – like that,” Rey laughed as another piece smashed Finn’s to bits.

“What is this?” 

Rey sat next to him. “It’s chess. It’s a strategy game. You- Oh, right. Stormtrooper. I’m surprised they didn’t allow you this.” She frowned.

“We were only allowed blasters. Any strategy that the first order had thought of, was part of our conditioning. I never knew there were so many games in the universe. Have you heard of the game?”

“The game?”

“Yeah, you just lost it.” He grinned, very proud of himself.

Chewie snarled.

“You’ve just pissed off Chewie.”

Finn didn’t need an interpreter to understand that. He focused back on the game at his two remaining pieces. It didn’t look good. He pressed the button, moving one four legged beast two spots to the left. The beast leaned forward and promptly tore two pieces arms off. Finn clapped his hands together. He scanned the board for his next move and Rey was fascinated by him. She had never seen Finn this focused, except during battles. He was probably a brilliant strategist, untrained, but brilliant. Untrained- Rey thought it was funny that a boy who had been in nothing but training his whole life would be untrained. Untrained in strategy, untrained in the force, untrained in… well everything but battle.

“Rey!” Finn bumped her with his shoulder.

“Hmm?” She asked, coming back to the moment. Chewie stared at her.

“I asked when you wanted to eat.”

“Oh. You guys can eat. I’m gonna head up to the cockpit for a bit.” She slid out of the booth, leaving Chewie and Finn behind. 

She sat in the captain’s seat, settling herself in for a meditation. Ahsoka’s disappearance still lingered on her mind. The medical droids that had picked her up weren’t resistance. The guilt of letting the first order droids take her had weighed heavily on Rey’s mind these past weeks. She should have known, and she should have done something. Rey shuddered as the cold tendrils of the dark side seeped into the cockpit. It was time to start meditating. 

Rey was coming to love the force. It powered her, encouraged her, gave her guidance, but also showed her the could be’s of the future. She could see what would happen if they didn’t help Kylo Ren. The only way she could stop that future from happening was if she let the force guide her. With a large breath, Rey settled in.

_A vision of Leia’s ship appeared. Luke and his sister were draining the bacta-tube. Threepio was in the background, babbling on about dinner for preparations for when they landed. Worry rolled off of the twins in waves as they watched the bacta levels drop from 25% to 0%. Leia unlatched it._

_“If he starts to act out, we’ll have to put him under again.”_

_“He won’t. There’s still good in him.”_

_Luke bit his lip as Kylo Ren’s hand twitched. He sat up slowly, the dark scar on his face a stark contrast to his pale skin. Kylo blinked as he moved his fingers, checking on himself after his sudden and very deep sleep. He jerked, becoming aware of just who was sitting next to him. He tried to jump to a defensive position, but after being immobile for a few weeks, his body did not comply. Kylo crumpled to the floor. Leia moved to him, placing her hands on his shivering shoulders._

_“Get away from me!” He snarled, baring his teeth like a cornered lothcat._

_“Ben, stop it.” Leia gripped him tighter, the motherly love she felt for him overwhelming her._

_“Ben-“_

_“Skywalker. Don’t you dare! I am Supreme Leader Snoke’s apprentice now. You – your old, failed, disappointing Jedi ways can’t bring me back.” Kylo pushed Leia off, glaring at Luke with a hatred neither of the twins had seen before._

_“Ben Solo, stop this right now! I’ve had just about enough of you lying to me, to your father, and your uncle. We know you aren’t sith. Whatever this is, this rebellion, it needs to stop. You’ve killed so man-“_

_“Enough!” Kylo shouted, interrupting Leia. The dark side exploded around them as it tried to shove them away. Luke extended his hand, easily stopping the assault. “This is what grandfather would have wanted! It was his goal! Snoke has showed me vision after vision that Darth Vader had for the galaxy. He had a vision for a new galaxy where he and Darth Sidious would make decisions that were best for the galaxy; that would lead us to control more than this galaxy, but many others as well. You did not save Darth Vader, Skywalker, you killed him, and you will be the first person who will die to bring back his legacy.”_

_“Ben, you’re a fool if you think Snoke knows Darth Vader’s goals and dreams.” Leia’s hand twitched._

_“Stop calling me that!”_

_“No,” Leia fired back. She stood a little straighter. “Emperor Palpatine used my father the same way as Snoke is using you. You killed your father, for what?”_

_“Han Solo was weak-“_

_“Han was not weak! Sure, he messed up. I did too, Ben. I never should have sent you away but I can’t take that back now. I don’t want to see you killing yourself and others for this…deluded dream you’ve been fed. Stop this. Come home. This is not what Anakin would have wanted.”_

_“You don’t know that!”_

_“Neither do you!” Leia’s eyes hardened._

_Mother and son squared off, the same look of fury in their brown eyes. Years of being alone at Luke’s training surfaced in Kylo. Years of trying to contact his father and never receiving any response back made his thoughts bitterer than the rarest spice. His eyes flickered to Luke, finding him a much easier target than his mother._

_“I enjoyed it, you know.” Kylo spat, his lips curling up in a vicious sneer._

_“You didn’t.”_

_“I did. Every single youngling I cut down fueled the rage that Vader gave me. It awakened a strength in the force, in the dark side, that you will never be able to accomplish in all your years as a ‘Jedi’. You’re a failure, Luke Skywalker.”_

_“I know. But unlike you, I don’t let my failures define me. My biggest failure was accepting you. I should have sent you back to your family. But I didn’t and now here you are. Have you actually spoken to Anakin? Or have you just been ‘given’ visions of Darth Vader?”_

_“I…I’ve spoken with him. Yeah, I’ve spoken with Vader.” Kylo cleared his throat._

_“What did he say?” Luke asked._

_“I’m not going to tell you!”_

Rey found herself sitting in the cockpit once more. Anakin had spoken to her, so she had assumed that he had also spoken with Kylo Ren. Without Ahsoka, what chance did they have with turning him back? She leaned back, trying to calm her racing pulse. Something was going to happen. Fear engulfed her as she thought of the possibilities. Kylo Ren could take the ship, and bring Luke and Leia to Snoke. He could kill them, but Rey doubted he had the powers to take down Luke. She needed Ahsoka.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should be working on my final papers lmao
> 
> anyway if you spot any errors let me know
> 
> I've written a few chapters since I've last posted but I've got a few other story ideas rattling around in my head


	7. Chapter 7

Rey knew Kylo had taken the ship before he had contacted the Falcon.

“We have to turn back!” She yelled, not realizing that Chewie had joined her in the cockpit.

He groaned.

“Kylo has taken Leia-“ She was interrupted as the comm-link chimed.

“Meet me in Tattooine’s orbit before the suns set on the western hemisphere. If not, I launch Luke into the red sun.” Kylo snarled. He ended the comm link.

Rey abruptly dropped the Falcon from hyperspace, then reset the coordinates and vanished in a swirl of blue. Chewie was cussing Kylo Ren out as he got up to find blasters. Rey closed her eyes to meditate, hoping to check on the twins. She reached out, searching for their bright force signatures. They were there, thank the force, but dull as if they had been drugged or knocked out. Leave it to Kylo Ren to subdue them that way. She opened her eyes as Finn walked into the cockpit. 

“Chewie sounded pissed.”

“Kylo Ren overpowered Luke and Leia. We’re going to Tattooine to get them back.”

“What?! Are they okay?”

“They’re unconscious. I need you to contact the resistance and let them know to send a few X-wings to Tattooine. No doubt he’s reached out to the first order. If there’s a Star Destroyer there, we’re going to need back up. Head down to the gunner position.” She ordered, flipping two switches. Luckily, Tattooine wasn’t too terribly out of the way. Finn ruffled up her hair, then left the cockpit. Chewie was back moments later, armed to the teeth with blasters, grenades, his crossbow blaster strapped across his back. He growled as he sat down.

The falcon dropped out of hyperspace and Rey wanted to scream.

“That’s a lot of destroyers!” Finn yelled.

_Understatement of the century._ Rey thought. There had to be at least three destroyers parked in the planet’s orbit, and four more that were dropping out of hyperspace. Rey raced towards Luke and Leia’s ship, dodging the cannons that immediately opened fire on them. Chewie roared as he raised the shields and boosted the engines as Rey swerved and dodged. Finn opened fire on a small platoon of TIE fighters that were dropping from the underbelly of said destroyers. 

“There’s too many,” 

Chewie agreed, his eyes wild. 

“We’ll have a better chance of taking Luke and Leia if we can get them on the planet. Does this ship have a tractor beam?” She asked, staring at the panels.

Chewie shrugged as he grumbled.

“What do you mean it _kind of_ has a tractor beam? How can a ship _kind of have a tractor beam_?”

Chewie groaned as a TIE fighter managed to hit the Falcon.

“Only for small objects? Oh force, that’s right. You and Han were smugglers. Do you think it would be enough to take their ship down with us?”

The wookiee grunted.

“So it would be enough to get them to crash land? That’s good enough for me. Turn it on when I say so.” She pursed her lips together as she brought the Falcon only feet from Leia’s ship. “Oh god, Leia is going to kill me if I scratch her ship,” She muttered. “Now, Chewie!”

The ship’s tractor beam whirred onto Leia’s cockpit. They dragged the ship through Tattooine’s atmosphere successfully and then the overburdened tractor beam shut down. The falcon followed the other’s ship perilous descent to some rolling dunes, where Leia’s ship landed with an explosion of sand.

“The ship is fine.” Rey sighed, seeing the ship still in one piece. They set the Falcon down, not far from the crash site. 

They rushed off to the site, Rey’s fingers curling around Anakin’s saber.

“What are you doing here?!” Anakin’s voice was curt.

“Trying to save Luke and Leia before Kylo Ren does something stupid,” She grumbled as they climbed a dune.

“You need to leave. They’ll be fine.” Anakin seemed to be trying to grab her.

“He’s called the first order!”

Anakin threw his hands into the air, obviously very upset.

“Trust me, once we have Luke and Leia we’ll be off this dust ball.”

“Good. Our family has too many bad memories here.” Anakin conceded. He walked with them to ship. Finn and Chewie waited outside as Rey ventured in. She found Luke and Leia knocked unconscious, and she hoped that was Kylo Ren’s doing and not her own.

“Get away from them.” Kylo snarled.

“What have you done?” Rey asked, not moving from her position next to the twins. Anakin turned, his eyes filled with sadness as he watched his grandson.

“He’s still not a sith.” Anakin whispered.

“I know.” Rey responded as Kylo stepped closer.

“Who are you talking to?” He asked, his hand reaching for his saber.

“Anakin, our grandfather. I know you’ve heard of him.”

“Bantha shit.” Kylo’s eyes widened almost imperceptibly.

“Can’t you see him?”

“He’s not there. You’re trying to trick me.”

“I am here, you kriffin’ idiot.” Anakin rolled his eyes as he turned back to Luke and Leia. He placed his hand on Luke’s forehead, pulling at his consciousness to wake up. His eyes fluttered open. Anakin smiled down at his son as Rey and Kylo faced off, neither attacking. Anakin went to Leia, waking her the same way as well. Once both of the twins were up, they stared at their father. He looked to be maybe 20 years old.

“What are they staring at!?” Kylo shouted, becoming frantic.

“I told you already. Anakin Skywalker. You want to learn from your grandfather? You want to be as great and powerful as he was? Then this is your chance to talk to him. He’s ashamed of you, at the moment.”

For a moment, Ben Solo surfaced. He looked to his mother, fear and confusion evident on his scarred face. He shuddered, then closed his eyes. The light side of the force rose in him – briefly- enough to allow him to see Anakin. Just like his grandfather, Kylo had a scar that marred his face. A scar he had received while fighting the light. 

“Don’t you dare,” Anakin snapped, coming to stand next to Rey, in between Kylo and his twins. “I won this scar in a battle against the dark side. You got yours when your cousin tried to bring you to the light. Whatever Snoke has been feeding, whatever you’ve been blinding accepting is a lie, and your “reign” ends here.”

“What made you join the sith?” Kylo asked, making Rey and the twins wince.

“What made me _join the sith?!_ You want to know what made me join the sith? Listening to a man who was dead and gave me delusions of grandeur. A master, a man who controlled me in every way, a man who made me his slave again. There is no freedom in the sith. The sith are nothing but slavers. By joining them, you’ve encouraged slavery and accepted the fact that you’re going to be a slave for the rest of your life.” Anakin lifted his hand, making all the electronics in the ship overload. “You’re more powerful as Jedi. As a sith, you’re nothing but disposable.”

Kylo looked unimpressed.

“Is that all you’ve got? A terrible come home speech and a small lightshow? Vader was mo-“ Kylo coughed as he was slowly lifted into the air. Anakin held his hand out, his eyes filled with anger.

“I killed everyone I love, and nearly killed those who redeemed me. My master, Obi-wan, my wife, Padme, and hundreds of thousands of innocent people who all died by my hand because my master was too much of a coward to do it himself. Vader was nothing but a hollow puppet. He was unimportant, foolish, and weak. That is what you will be. So Vader may have seemed more powerful, but that was because Vader’s master wanted him to seem that way. Snoke is using the same tactic with you.” Anakin released him. Leia rose to her feet.

“Come home.” She pleaded. She took a step forward, but Anakin held out his hand to stop her. He wasn’t going to allow anyone else in his family get hurt.

Kylo snapped his eyes to his mother, a headache budding. He could go home. He’d have to face a trial, no doubt, but he could go home and be free of the ‘training’ Snoke was putting him through. He would never feel the torturing tendrils of force lightning on his back ever again. Snoke would hunt for him, yes, but he could tell the resistance everything about the first order. All he needed to do was to go home.

“How do I leave? Snoke will kill me.” Ben whispered. Rey pulled her hand away from her saber.

“Come with us.” Rey murmured.

“I just… leave?”

“Yes.” 

Ben pulled out his saber and tossed it towards Luke. The old Jedi picked up the blade and clipped it to his belt. For the first time in 15 years, Leia ran to hug her son. He was much taller than his mother, but after a beat he hugged her back. Rey turned to her father and grandfather.

“Now what?” She asked.

“Now you all run. The first order is coming, and they’re coming fast. Take the falcon.” Anakin looked up as the scream of TIE fighters could be heard. Leia was already leading Ben off of the ship. Rey hesitated.

“Why does it feel like you’re saying goodbye?”

“Because I am. This is your adventure now.” He smiled.

Luke took Rey’s hand, pulling her away. She let herself be led off of the ship as Anakin Skywalker began to vanish, small golden orbs floating away from his ghost. She gripped her father’s hand as they ran. Once they were onboard the Falcon, Rey went to the captain’s seat. Chewie had already prepped the falcon for take-off, and within a minute they were dodging TIE fighters as they escaped. Rey launched the ship into hyperspace. As she went back to the booth to talk, she realized just how afraid she was that Ben would turn back. Talking to Anakin seemed to pull him back to the light. She wondered just how long he would stay in the light, stay with them. He had been seduced before and the results had been genocidal. 

“I’m afraid of that too.” Ben spoke. Finn was sitting in the booth, looking very nervous. Ben sat next to him and Finn’s dark skin seemed to go pale.

“I won’t bite.” 

“Yeah, I’d rather not,” Finn got up, coming to stand beside Rey.

“Where is Luke?” 

“Leia and he are talking in the back. I figured I’d give them some time alone.” Ben pursed his lips.

“I think the best thing that you can do is go through a trial and be honest. You’ll have to atone for your crimes. Maybe if you tell them you are sorry, maybe you’ll receive a less intense sentence. You could use that time to work on being the Jedi you were meant to be.” 

“I could,”

“You should. You need to tell the resistance everything about the First Order.” Rey placed Anakin’s saber on the table. “I don’t think he’s coming back.”

“Why’s that?”

“After you left, he… it was like he broke into bubbles? They were golden.” She had no idea what to make of that.

“The living force.” Kylo whispered.

“What?”

“That’s what those orbs were. The living force. Luke knows more about it than I do. But basically, from what I remember, the living force is a way that Jedi can manifest themselves after death. You have to go through training to join the living force, but once you do become one with it, you become so much powerful. Sometimes you can make your whole existence in the force to matter for one cause, one belief.”

“Oh.” She murmured.

Leia finally joined them, looking tired. She sat next to Ben. Leia put her hand on top of her son’s, her wrinkly knuckles squeezing his hand. Rey took Finn’s hand, leaving them alone. Rey and Finn found Luke in one of the sleeping quarters. Rey sat next to him.

“What now?” She asked.

“We start over. A new Jedi, a new republic. What we’ve always done.” Luke glanced at Finn. “We’ll start training you as well, Finn.”

Finn’s training… was a challenge. His whole life, he had been trained the only way, the first order’s way. Every time Luke tried to teach him how to properly deflect blaster fire, Finn would do it the way the first order had taught him. They had created a new base on an old Republic outpost. There were still bits of clone trooper armor that lay scattered about on surface of the asteroid. The Resistance did have a planet, but Poe, Chewie, and Black squadron were being sent on recon missions to hopefully find Ahsoka and bring her home. Occasionally Ben would go with them, but today he stayed behind to help with training.

“Keep your blade moving! It’s the best way to deflect blaster fire and take down enemies.” Luke clicked on a few training probes and tossed them Finn’s way. 

Rey raised Anakin’s saber the same time Finn raised Luke’s. Both of the young Jedi were borrowing sabers until their scheduled trip to Ilum in a few weeks. As much as Rey loved the blue saber, she wanted her own. This blade had seen too many deaths for her liking. Finn and Rey didn’t have much time to talk though, because the probes opened fire at them. They rolled and dodged, the imitation blaster fire chasing them around the clearing. Finn stopped, lowering his blade. He could use the force, he remembered. What did Luke tell him? Open yourself to the force and it will guide you. The warmth of the force enveloped him, but he had no idea how he was doing it. Finn pivoted on his left foot, managing to send a bolt of energy back at the orb. The device clattered to the ground, turning off once defeated. Rey had managed to take down the two other orbs as well. She turned to Finn, a smile on her face.

“That wasn’t so bad!” This sort of training seemed to exhilarate her. Finn wanted to be mad at her for it, but… he was coming to love it as well. 

Luke walked around the clearing, picking up the orbs for the day. He pocketed them, then glanced up towards the skywalk where Ben was watching. Finn handed Luke back his saber as they all followed the old Jedi inside. Rey immediately went to the fresher to clean up before dinner. She gave Ben a tight smile as she passed him.

Her nightmare from the night before still haunted her.

Rey turned on the water, stripping out of her training uniform. She folded her clothes, placing them next to the sink as the hot water finally clicked on. She undid her buns, the images from her nightmare seared into her mind. Could Kylo still be dark? There was a history of it. Luke once told Rey of an old Jedi story, where during the clone wars Quinlan Vos was assigned a mission to work with Asajj Ventress. He turned dark, but somehow was brought back to the light, or so the Jedi believed. She didn’t recall the ending of that story and for that she was thankful. Rey let out a soft sigh as she stepped into the warm water. Right as she shut the fresher door, there was a knock.

“Can I come in?” Finn asked.

“Door’s open.” She called back, pressing the fog button on the glass. The door fogged up right as Finn walked in. 

“Sorry, I meant to talk to you about this earlier. But Luke is so intense.” 

“He really is. What do you want to talk about?”

“I had a nightmare. I’ve had a few, actually. I know Luke has said they come with the force, you know,” He changed his voice to mimic Luke’s. “The force is like a door way, you can send your energy through it, but it will send some back at you.”

Rey laughed as she washed out her hair. “That’s good.”

“Thank you,”

Finn sat on the toilet, bracing himself on his knees. “My nightmare was about Ben. In my dreams, we’re all around the table. Kylo’s saber is sitting on the table in front of us and there’s battle plans. I think they’re coordinates to first order planets. But anyway, we’re all there. Ben says something and then it’s just like chaos breaks loose. He…. He kills Poe, attacks Leia. He really hurts her. Luke manages to save us but Kylo just keeps attacking and I have no idea what to do and then I wake up.”

Rey had forgotten how to breathe. 

“Rey?”

“I- Sorry, Finn. It’s just…. I have had that same dream too.”

“Do we tell Luke?”

Rey turned off of the fresher, then peeked her head out from the door. “Toss me a towel. I don’t know. If we tell Luke, he’ll panic. Luke always said that force visions are unreliable, right?”

“Yeah,” Finn handed her a towel, then turned around.

She toweled off, then stepped out of the shower. “So we’ll leave it to the force. We don’t tell Luke, and we don’t tell Ben. I know he’s struggling a lot. Go spend some time with Poe, I think he should be back now. It will be okay.”

Finn turned around, still not convinced.

“Okay.” Finn smiled as Rey leaned forward and kissed his cheek. He left the fresher, and Rey felt like collapsing.

No one was going to hurt her family. She pulled on some fresh clothes and left the fresher. She found her father talking with Ben in the dining area. Rey sat next to Luke, cuddling right up into his side. 

“You okay?” Luke asked as he put his arm around her.

She nodded.

“Good. Anyway, you were saying?” Luke asked as he rubbed Rey’s arm. She had found out a few days ago that she used to cuddle up like this to him when she was younger. She tried to listen to their conversation, but she was tired. Luke had woken Finn and her up before the moon had passed the asteroid. It was hard to measure days on an asteroid.

“The first order has alternating coded transmissions. At any given time, there are two different translations of the same transmission that get scrambled every time they reach a checkpoint. Our best bet would to be overtake a destroyer and just wait.” Said Ben.

“You’re saying our best bet is hijacking a star destroyer?” 

“Unfortunately.”

Luke sighed. He squeezed Rey’s arm softly. “What do you think?”

“I think trying to hijack a star destroyer would get us all killed.”

“Mm,” He nodded for her to continue.

“I mean, there’s what, a couple hundred storm troopers on a destroyer at any given point. The only thing left of the resistance is us and few ships that weren’t in the Hosnian system. That’s not even close enough to take over a destroyer. There has to be another way. Go to a First Order controlled planet. They have to receive transmissions at one point, right?”

Ben nodded.

“Well grandpa helped take back grandmother’s planet when he was just a boy. We can do the same.” 

“So, we go after a planet.”

“We’ll need a list of planets, Ben.”

“Get me a map of the galaxy and I’ll find you one.” Ben smiled. A chill tore up Rey’s spine. Why did she mention a planet? This was exactly her and Finn’s dream. What was worse, sending the resistance to its death or sending her friends and family to theirs, she didn’t know the answer but if Rey had to choose, she would choose her family but at this point, the line between family and resistance was so blurred.

Rey got to her feet. She left the boys to go do… something. Rey wandered around the asteroid base, trying to keep herself entertained. But her thoughts were tinged with fear so palpable, she was surprised that Luke hadn’t showed up and asked what was wrong. She wandered around the base, eventually finding Finn slumped over a holovid. She leaned down, placing his arm across her shoulders. She carried Finn to the nearest bunk and tucked him in.

“Poe is in… trouble.” Finn grumbled. He popped his thumb into his mouth and drifted further into his sleep.

“Glad to know we aren’t the only ones in trouble,” She smiled bitterly, then found herself drifting to sleep on her friend.

_Are you afraid of the dark?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> May the Fourth be with you!
> 
> anyway since its every star wars fans birthday I decided to post another chapter! 
> 
> Let me know if there are any errors and I hope yall have a great star wars day!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the delay of this chapter! and its short but 1) im running out of ideas for this story and 2) the next and final chapter will be significantly longer (This story is at 88 pages in word, and I'm planning on ending it at a nice even 100) so thats about 12 pages of wrapping this shit up. I am considering adding a few more stories to this storyline and making it a series. ANYWAY, enjoy! and let me know if there are any errors. I don't have a beta reader right now and if you're interested in beta-ing for me, message me here!

When Rey woke up, she was back in her bunk. The blankets were tucked around her the way Luke did. She couldn’t move a muscle. Her thoughts drifted to her nightmares and the fears that delved further and further into her mind with each passing day. She was so lost. If only Anakin would appear to guide her, to assist her in making the right choices. The silence in the force informed her that he would not be returning. 

She’d even take the cranky Master Windu at this point.

After a few minutes of struggling, Rey finally managed to untuck herself from the covers. She made the bed even though she knew that she would not be returning to the base. When she entered the common area she found all the rations, medical supplies, and back up clothing as well as the training droids already packed on the falcon. Her steps echoed as she boarded the falcon, the echoes chasing her on. She found Finn and Ben talking in the booth and Luke staring at the cockpit. 

“You have to actually sit and press buttons to make her take off. She doesn’t respond well to the force,” She spoke as she slid past him to the captain’s seat.  
Luke watched her. “Han let me fly her once. That was the first and last time he did that. He’d find a way into the living force to murder me if I tried to fly her again.”

Rey giggled. “He wasn’t too happy about me helping him fly it.”

“I’ll see if Chewie wants to tag along. Prep her for take-off,” Luke left the cockpit.

Rey sat down in Han’s seat, settling in for the trip. Ben had found them a planet – actually, it was a hunk of a moon that had been blown to shit- that was far enough out from the center that it would take a few days for the First Order to hear about the takeover. It was a dangerous mission that bordered on suicidal and often times Rey forgot just why they were participating in such a deadly affair. Finn was flying with them since there was not enough room in Poe’s X-Wing. The black tips raised and lowered as the fighter pilot tested his instruments. Rey and he hadn’t talked much, she realized as the X-wing lifted off. Leia had bragged about his reputation.

She wondered if she had missed her window.

The falcon lifted up, the thrusters firing confidently as they left the old republic base behind. Chewie sat down, flicking on a few switches. The blue swirl of hyperspace appeared as they raced towards their doom or their salvation. Rey did not know which.

“You’ve been awfully distracted lately,” Luke murmured as he walked into the cockpit.

She should tell him. Luke has probably gone through the same thing as well. Rey swallowed.

“I’ve been having nightmares. A lot of people die in them.” 

“That happens,” Luke’s sharp blue eyes watched her carefully.

“Do they ever stop? They’re awful. Truly terrible.”

“They’ll come and go. Do you want to talk about it?”

Images of Luke pushing Kylo Ren from the wounded group surface in her mind. “Not at the moment.”

“You let me know the moment you want to talk, okay?”

“Yes,” Rey watched him leave, his beige robes looking nearly black in the dim light of the cockpit.

The rest of the flight was quiet. They all took turn monitoring the ship’s flight path through hyperspace. The planet the crew had planned to visit had since been abandoned by the First Order. Finn and Ben had both agreed that Pressy’s Tumble was the next best thing – the best thing in the world of all the worst options. As they hurtled to the moon fragment, the tension and fear in the ship rose. Yes, they had four Jedi, the best resistance pilot in the known galaxy, and a Wookiee – but they still had thousands of Stormtroopers to face. Rey remained introspective. She tried finding Anakin in the force – but to no avail. After an hour of trying, she finally left her quarters. They had been venturing through the blue of hyperspace for two days now. Luke had advised that they eat the perishable food first, which Rey was more than happy to oblige. Sometimes she still found herself offering the cooks back on the resistance bases items in exchange for the well prepared and delicious food. Old habits die hard. Survival habits are immortal.

Rey had entered the common area when she heard shouting. Finn and Ben were squaring off, both of their eyes wild.

“You have no idea what you’ve done to the galaxy!”

“I do. I’ve already paid for those sins, Finn,” Ben’s hair was wild as he snarled. He looked pale, but something about him was … wrong. 

“Stop it you two. We’re here. If we’re going to take this hunk of rock, we need to work together. Don’t make me get Luke in here.” Rey stepped in between the boys, feeling the tension in the force. It seemed to vanish once Rey stepped in between them.

“Stay away from me,” Finn hissed, leaving Rey and Ben.

“He still doesn’t trust me,” Ben sighed, coming his fingers through his long, black hair.

“Do you blame him? You were the face of an organization that enslaved him. He’s not going to trust you anytime soon. Trying to be his friend won’t help. You need to let him come to you on his terms.”

“It’s just hard.”

“I know. Just give him time,” Rey smiled. “Come on, we have to land her and begin the assault.” 

Rey and Ben entered the cockpit, finding Chewie sitting in the co-captain seat. She joined him. The young Skywalker was unaware that Ben had unclipped Anakin’s saber from her hip. They dropped out of hyperspace and right into a squadron of TIE fighers. Finn had already descended into gunner’s seat and Luke had run for the other. Rey and Chewie dodged the first barrage of blaster fire, giving Luke and Finn time to counter attack. It was insanity, and Ben was beginning to look a little pale. Rey scowled as one fighter managed to score a hit on the Falcon’s shields. 

“We’ve got to set her down, now. One more hit and we’re toast.” Rey began their descent.

“Do you have a deathwish!?” Ben nearly yelled.

_Are you afraid of the dark, young one?_

_You’ve spent your life in the desert, searching for a family. You found it and the resistance sent you to find my apprentice. All you were meant to do in this galaxy is find others. I’m offering you a chance to find yourself. Destroy the false ones - The Jedi who promise you safety. I will give you the family you deserve. The family you NEED-_

“Rey!” A hand was pressed against her forehead. Light was being shoved into her mind and she was taking it all like the way she would drink water on Jakku after a few days of no water.

The ship was quiet. No – it wasn’t quiet – the ship was gone. Blaster fire exploded around them. But it was muffled.

“Rey, it’s me. Focus on my voice. Come back to us.”

Father. Luke. Safety. She could trust Luke. Rey’s eyelids fluttered open, finding Luke’s large, sky blue eyes staring at her. Worry lines appeared on his face.

“Wh-What happened?” Rey struggled to sit up, only to be pushed back down by Luke.

“The falcon crashed. We made it, but I haven’t seen anyone else,” Luke had his lips pursed, as if he was holding back more.

“Luke,” Rey gripped his hand. “What is it?”

“Your saber is missing.”


	9. Chapter 9

Finn, Chewie, and Ben were also missing. Luke had given Rey his saber to defend them. While Rey’s confidence in the force was continually improving, she still needed a weapon to provide adequate protection for herself. Luke could throw an entire squadron of troopers without a second thought. Rey still struggled to balance rocks while standing on her head, so the light saber was a necessity. They snuck into the base, clearing a path to the communications hub. Rey adjusted her black tunic, despising the feeling of the empty lightsaber holster. As Rey cut down the last remaining Stormtrooper, she became aware of how quiet the base had become.

“We’ll have to send a message to Leia. We can’t finish this operation without more troops,” Luke’s hands flew over the panels, typing in resistance contact codes as fast as he could think of them.

“Luke-“

“Force, how many troops should we ask for?”

“Luke, the fighting has stopped.” Rey tapped the panel he was standing in front of.

“Huh?”

“Listen,” Rey was shivering.

Luke quieted. But the battle had not quieted. Instead it had stilled as if a great cold blanket had been forced down on Pressy’s Tumble, smothering all feelings except for fear, for hatred, for anger. Rey looked to Luke, expecting to see his quiet confidence blazing in his heather blue eyes. But those normally twinkling eyes were glacial now.

Luke had experienced too many failures. Trusting Kylo had been the last grain of sand in his sand pile. His lightsaber flew from Rey’s hand into his own.  
“This is General Luke Skywalker, contacting General Leia Organa. I am requesting as many squadrons as possible. This is a mayday broadcast. Come to my location as soon as possible. I repeat,” Luke’s voice was like thunder as he repeated his message. Rey had never seen this sort of pure ferocity in him… ever. For the first time in her life, Rey realized why the Skywalkers were so feared throughout the galaxy.

Because Skywalkers were the embodiment of the Force. All of the good aspects – and all the bad. When one person contains the entirety of entirety within in their self, they have to choose a side for a while.

Luke Skywalker had simply chosen the light for too long.

“Stay here,” He barked as he ended the comm link.

“What are you going to do?”

“End this. Do NOT leave this room.” He vanished through the blast doors.

Confused was too simple a word to describe how Rey was feeling. This wasn’t how her dream went, not at all. She had no idea if this would be a better outcome; Rey didn’t want to be stuck in this room to find out. She thrust her hands out, blowing the blast doors open with the force. Two decades of running over the dunes of Jakku had given her the ability to sprint through a base in little to no time at all. Compared to the fine grains of the dune, the hard durasteel floors were easily covered. Luke’s force signature was shielded, but his rage was shattering his once perfect façade. She needed her saber if she was going to stop Luke and Kylo, which meant that she’d have to find Kylo first – and somehow retrieve her weapon from his thieving hands. She rounded a corner as she altered her course, heading for the blaze of black fury that was tinged with Kylo Ren’s homicidal thoughts. She leapt over some fallen crates – and right into Ahsoka Tano.

“Agh!” She yelped as the togruta grabbed her. “Ahsoka, where have you been?” Rey panted, trying to steady herself against the old Jedi.

Ahsoka did not answer.

“Ahsoka, it’s me. It’s Rey,” She finally found her feet as she got a good look at Tano.

Tano’s montrals were riddled with black, pulsing veins. Her normal Jakku sky blue eyes were threaded with yellow, which stood out against her rust colored face. Even her old rebellion outfit was gone, replaced with a black tunic and black leggings.

“I followed the wrong side of the force for years, Rey. Supreme leader Snoke will show you the error of your ways; just as he showed me. Come with me, youngling,” Ahsoka’s grip tightened on Rey’s forearms.

Rey swung her leg back, then kicked forward and knocked Ahsoka over. It was as the old togruta fell that she noted the restraining cuff placed around her rear montral. Rey was willing to bet hundreds of credits that there were spikes that reached into her flesh. Tano thrashed on the floor, snarling viciously as she struggled to stand. Before she was aware of it, Rey had shoved a shipping container onto Tano, trapping her enough where she wouldn’t be hurt, but couldn’t escape. She would come back for her friend later. Rey pushed herself over the mess she created to carry on.

Rey had felt the swirling dark side already trying to pull her into the fray. She took a deep breath – There is no chaos, there is only harmony – then turned the corridor where she found Luke.

Rey wanted puke. Kylo was missing an arm, as well as her saber, and was pinned to the wall with the force. Instead of puking, Rey shouted. The force tore the boys apart. She slammed Luke to the ground and gave Kylo Ren the same treatment.

“STOP!” She shouted. Rey knew that they knew she had been trained significantly less than both of them. She was begging the force that Leia would burst through the door, guns –and hopefully sabers- blazing.

_I’m nearly there, Rey. Can you keep them apart for much longer?_ Leia’s voice was as clear as day. She was close, which meant they had made it to Pressy’s Tumble.

“I don’t know!” Rey grunted.

_You’re doing great. I’m almost there._

Luke was the first to break free of her restraint. He shot her a dirty look and adjusted his tunic. Rey called her saber from Kylo’s hand and activated it with _snap hiss_. Kylo managed to wriggle free as well. Luke and he extended their remaining original hands to each other, and the force exploded – at the same time Leia stomped in, yelling.

“YOU TWO ARE NOTHING – BUT- TWO HUGE KRIFFING IDIOTS.” Her saber ignited; which caused everyone in the room to stop. “Rey,” Her voice was cool, measured now. “Find the schematics room. Dameron has found Finn. We need to plan our next move.”

Rey nodded, dashing from the room as quick as she could. She ran through the base, passing resistance fighters and medics that were taking over. The siege had been a success, and now they only needed the codes. That was, if Kylo Ren had not consumed the remaining parts of Ben. Rey grabbed one medic. 

“Ahsoka Tano is here. She should be considered dangerous but set weapons to stun. She has a restraining cuff on her rear montral.” She told him. The medic nodded, then signaled for some fighters to escort her. Rey continued on, finding the destroyed schematics room.

Poe and Finn were hugging each other, both looking a tad beat up but okay. She rushed towards her boys, hugging them fiercely.

“We’re alright. Are you okay?” Poe laughed, smoothing her hair down.

“Just scared. Luke…. I’ve never seen him that mad before,” She looked up to them, taking in their brown eyes. 

“We’ll be alright. General Organa told me multiple times that if she didn’t kill Ben she’d lock him up. They’re both going to live.” Poe rubbed Rey’s back, giving her a reassuring smile.

Rey nodded. Then looked to Finn.

Everything had fallen into place. Now they were just waiting for the ball to drop.

Kylo had his arm encased in a bacta cast, and was trying to disembowel Luke with his eyes alone. Luke was studiously ignoring him as he and his sister read over the data on Pressy’s Tumble. Leia pulled up the activity scans of the space around Pressy’s Tumble. So far, no First Order ships had arrived to take back their mineral base.

“ We have a few more hours until they figure out what happened here. In the meantime,” Leia pulled out Kylo’s saber and placed it on the table. “We’re going to need all the Jedi we have. Would you four give me a moment alone with my son?” 

Rey took Luke’s prosthetic hand and dragged him from the room quickly. Poe and Finn quickly dashed away from the Skywalkers, knowing that the Solo’s wouldn’t be the only family having an argument. 

“What – was – that?” Rey snapped.

“I lost control.”

“You- _You lost control_ ? No, you didn’t just lose control; you threw it all to hell! Ben has one less hand now. I thought you said you had defeated the dark side!”

Luke at least had the grace to look embarrassed.

“I had. Rey, you haven’t had your trial yet. The dark side is stronger than you can possibly imagine. Sure, you can defeat it, but it’s no easy task – ” Luke stopped as Rey released her fear into the force. He took a step towards her. “Rey, I am so sorry. I had no idea,” She showed him what she saw; Luke, pinning Kylo to the wall as the dark side reached for him. Kylo’s hand gone from his wrist.

Fat, wet tears streamed down Rey’s face as she stared at Luke. “If this is what the force is, I don’t want any part of it.”

Luke felt the floor fall out from under him.

“This isn’t what the force is. Well – it is loss, but it’s li-“

“I don’t want one of your lessons now!” Rey shouted. “I really don’t want anything to do with you at the moment.”

Luke stayed quiet as she pulled her shields up, blocking out everyone. She turned on her heel, leaving him alone in the hallway. Both Skywalkers felt as the light side of the force returned to Ben, banishing Kylo – for the moment. Luke entered, finding Leia hugging Ben.

He stared at the plans, wondering if Ben had ever actually returned to them, or if they had all been deceived. 

Rey wandered the medical wing to find Ahsoka. She had no idea if the old Togruta would be up to talking, or even if she was up. Ahsoka was the only person in the whole room. Tubes were placed in her arms that pumped nutrients and fluids into her depleted body. Her skin was no longer rust colored. It was a pale pink that nearly hide her white markings. Rey sat by her bedside, noticing that the restraining cuff had been removed and placed next to Tano’s bed.

“Skywalkers lose control, easily.” Ahsoka murmured.

“Ahsoka… I am so –“

“If you say sorry, I will strangle you with these cords. I’m alive. I’m thankful that it was you who found me. The force is always working through us; it’s always guiding us to people who will make us better, stronger, and kinder. It also likes to try and fuck us.”

“It finally got the chance fuck me.” Ahsoka whimpered, her eyes flickering to the cuff. “I have no idea what I did with that thing.”

“Ahsoka… you’re home now. You’re safe. That’s all that matters.”

“What about you?” Ahsoka leaned up, adjusting her position in the bed. “Are you safe?”

“I… I’m not sure.”

“I don’t think anyone who’s ever lived in this galaxy has ever been truly safe. But you have me, Luke, Leia, Chewie and everyone else who’ve you met on your journey to this point. Angry Skywalkers is nothing new to me or the galaxy. But handling a rampaging Skywalker still has yet to be accomplished.”

“It was so scary, Ahsoka. He was so scary.”

Ahsoka’s withered hand grabbed Rey’s and squeezed. Her blue eyes, eyes that had seen the height of Anakin Skywalker, the fall, the rise of the Empire and the return of the Jedi, were filled with concern. She understood how terrifying Skywalkers could be. She had experienced it. There was nothing that could be said to assure the young Skywalker that it was only a one time occurrence. Instead, the only tidbit of help that Ahsoka could hope to give to Rey was to learn how to handle that rage. 

“That rage you feel? The fear? Use that. Never let anyone see the extent of it, but use the power behind those emotions. I know there’s all that Jedi talk about ignoring your emotions but honestly? That’s a crock of bantha shit. We’re living beings that have hundreds of emotions. You need to find a balance between the negative and the positive ones. The only way you’re going to achieve that balance is by using those emotions. You can be scared, Rey. That’s okay.”

Rey pursed her lips as she mulled Ahsoka’s words over. “Can I sleep in here?” She asked, looking very tired.

“Of course. Do you want me to get an extra bed in here?”

“No, I’ll be alright in the chair,” Rey settled in the chair across from Ahsoka’s bed. She pulled her knees up, watching the old Jedi.

“You can get some rest, Skywalker. I’ll be okay,” Ahsoka murmured.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well its over kiddos. I'll probably run back and do some hardcore editing, but for now, it's done. Thanks for reading and I should have my next work up soon!! For everyone thats been here since I first started this fic to today, thank you for reading and giving kudos.
> 
> may the force be with you and all that jedi nonsense <3

“You’ve terrified the poor girl.” 

“I know.” Luke murmured.

“You didn’t kill Ben, did you?”

“No, I thought Leia was going to. I just ah, gave him the Skywalker initiation,” The gears in his mechno hand shifted as he wriggled his fingers.

“Good, because if you kill him then Snoke will come after Rey. Not that she would buy his shit for a minute. But we’re not in a position to be fighting a pseudo-Sith Lord.”

“Pseudo?”

“His eyes aren’t yellow. Snoke’s. That tiny fuckin’ gremlin tortured me himself.”

The two Jedi continued on, planning their next move as Rey slumbered on. She fought back the dream that kept trying to appear. She groaned in her sleep, reaching her hand out for the two beams of warm light that were near her.

“ – if he’s not a sith, then how is Kylo one?”

“He’s not. You remember the emp-” Ahsoka paused, seeing Rey’s hand clench her leggings. “ The Emperor had yellow eyes. Whenever Kylo is around, his eyes are normal. Ergo – Pseudo Siths.”

Luke swallowed and ran a hand through his hair. “We need to wake Rey. If Snoke is close then we need to finish our mission here as soon as possible.” He placed his hand on Rey’s back. “Rey,”

“No.” She groaned, twisting away from his hand.

“Rey, come on. We need to get going.” Luke murmured, urging her mind with the force to wake.

“Where are we going?” She murmured.

“To the debriefing. We’re going to need to finish our assault before Snoke arrives. Come on,” Luke held out his hand. Rey’s eyes flickered to his and for a moment, no one moved. Finally, she placed her hand in his and got to her feet. They walked in silence.

“Rey,” Luke tugged her hand, stopping her. “I just want to apologize. For what happened earlier.”

Rey watched him, her brown eyes scanning his face. “Apology accepted. We can’t all be expected to be completely calm all the time. Especially now.” She finally smiled.

Luke smiled, his face lighting up. The force hummed with happiness as they entered the tense room. Finn and Poe were standing next to a very tired looking General Organa. Ben sulked in the corner.

They walked to the holoprojector, staring at the images of 40 star destroyers.

“Glad you two could join us.” 

Luke looked at his sister questioningly. “We had to check on Ahsoka. So, how much trouble are we in?”

“A lot. Ben decided to contact the First Order so the amount of ships you were expected when you took this outpost has more than tripled. The resistance can hold off… maybe less than half of the destroyers expected. Snoke is near, and… oh, Ben doesn’t have a hand.”

“We’ve been in worse situations. Poe, can your X-wings engage the destroyers at point blank range?” Luke asked.

“Wouldn’t be the first time. It’s a costly maneuver.” 

“I know it is. It worked at the battle of Endor and it’s our only option.”

“We can’t keep doing that. We’ll need to reestablish a resistance military,” Leia sighed. “I can ask Admiral Ackbar for more Mon Calamari ships but that request could take years.”

“If that’s the best and only thing we can do, then we must do it.” Poe grumbled.

“You’re sending your pilots on a suicide mission. The First Order will be sending its best storm troopers and TIE pilots. You won’t win. You’ll only cause the end of your pitiful resistance.” Ben snarled from his corner.

“You, shut up.” Rey snapped.

Leia tossed his saber on the table. Her eyes were glacial as she looked at her son. “Rey is right. You haven’t earned the right to speak. Not after everything you’ve done! I’ve tried so hard to believe that there was good in you. I know there still is. The only way I’m going to see you again, to have you again as my son is to make sure the first order is no more. I will see that through, Ben. I will end the first order just as Luke, your father and I ended the Empire. Unjust empires do not last.”

Ben stared at her.

“We’ll see,” He murmured, resuming his sulking.

They discussed the plans some more, pointing out weaknesses in the ships shield generators and on the bridge. Finn grabbed Poe’s hand, clutching it tight as they discussed attack maneuvers. The more they discussed their options, the more engrossed they became in their work. Soon, all except for Ben were leaning towards the holograms as they looked for other options.

Kylo Ren took his chance. He thrust the force out, activating the saber with a _snap hiss_ and sending it flying towards Poe Dameron. It pierced his heart before Luke or Leia could stop it. Leia screamed, trying to call the saber to her own hand as Luke leapt in front of Rey, his green saber raised in a defensive position.

“No!” Finn screamed, pulling his blaster free. He fired three shots at Kylo, aimed straight for his head. 

Leia watched with horror as Kylo’s saber landed in his palm. She grabbed Finn and yanked him to the ground as Luke descended on Kylo ren. The snarls of the sabers filled the room as Leia held a shell-shocked Finn.

“Rey! Get them out of here!” Luke shouted as he sent Kylo Ren flying into the wall. His head hit the durasteel with a loud crack.

Rey grabbed Finn and Leia. “We need to go!”

“I’m not leaving him!” Finn shouted, clutching Poe as Leia got to her feet. 

“We’ll come back,” Leia murmured, tugging him harder.

“He wouldn’t leave me here,” Finn’s breaths were short and ragged now.

“He’d want you to be safe. We will come back. Finn, I promise you.” Rey begged as Luke flew over their heads. He got to his feet, swinging his saber.  
Finn did not reply, but let himself be dragged away. Leia and Rey rushed away from the battle with Finn behind them. They rushed to the _Mirrorbright_ and boarded as the fight exploded into the hangar.

“Start the ship!” Luke yelled, taking his saber in a wide offensive arc. Kylo was caught unaware, and found himself with a stomach full of light saber. Leia screamed incoherently and gripped Finn as Kylo Ren toppled to the ground. Rey grabbed Leia and Finn and dragged them on board, then jumped into the captain’s seat. She keyed up the ignition sequence as she felt Luke enter.

“Go to Leia. I can do this.” She told him. Luke was gone as they began to depart from Pressy’s Tumble. As they entered the space surrounding the broken moon, Rey saw the chaos that had happened outside.

X wings floated in the space around them. Huge Resistance frigates lilted in space as TIE fighter pilots picked off the survivors. Rey steered through the debris and rubble. She began to plot a course through hyperspace to … well, anywhere. The resistance had already been defeated and with no back up coming, it was time to retreat. There was a time and a place for rebellions, and at the moment, this was not the time. 

This was the time for healing – and after that, a time for planning. Rey would see that the First Order would pay for what they had done. As the sound of her friends grieving in the back of the ship reached her, she knew, with her whole hear, that if Kylo ren wasn’t already dead – she would kill him herself. They left Pressy’s Tumble behind, and brought all the pain with them. As they were engulfed in the blue of hyperspace, Luke walked in. He sat next to Rey and placed his head in his hands.

“What have I done?” He whispered.

“You saved us.”

“Poe is dead… Ben is… probably dead. The resistance is no more.”

“Well then, we need to make sure Poe didn’t die for nothing. He deserves a hero’s burial and all the honors we can give. We’re not giving up, not after all this. No. We are going to regroup. We’re going to rebuild an army to take back everything Kylo Ren has taken from us. We’re hurt, but we’re not down. I don’t care how long it takes. We will see the end of this,” Rey promised, turning to look at him. They both knew that this was another war and that they would need a miracle to overcome it.


End file.
